Jackrabbits end losing skid

Friday, March 11

Greeley, Colo.

3:00 PM

South Dakota State University

1-13

Northern Colorado

3-12

South Dakota State

Northern Colorado

3/11/2016 8:29:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

GREELEY, Colo. – Andrew Clemen pitched seven strong innings and Matt Johnson drove in a pair of runs to lead the South Dakota State University baseball team to its first win of the season, an 8-3 victory at Northern Colorado Friday afternoon at Jackson Field.

The Jackrabbits, 1-13 overall, broke through with a three-run run first inning and never trailed in the contest. Paul Jacobson drew a leadoff walk and later scored on the first of four UNC errors. Tony Kjolsing later plated Luke Ringhofer with a triple and Kjolsing scored the third run of the frame on a groundout by Johnson.

SDSU built its lead to 5-0 in the third as Jacobson again drew a leadoff walk and stole two of his three bases in the contest before scoring on an error. Johnson then delivered the first of his two doubles to score Ringhofer.

Clemen, meanwhile, kept the Bears off the board until the fourth inning as Brett Minnick tripled in one run and Nick Tanner plated another with a base hit. Clemen scattered nine hits, while striking out five and walking one. He also was aided by three double plays turned behind him as the Jackrabbits played errorless defense.

The Jackrabbits kept UNC, 3-12 overall, at arm's length, scoring single runs in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings. Johnson doubled to lead off the seventh and scored on an error, while Anthony Schneider's leadoff triple in the eighth was followed by a Ringhofer RBI double.

Joe Erickson pitched two scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit and one walk to go along with a strikeout.

Half of the Jackrabbits' 10 hits went for extra bases. Johnson, Ringhofer and Phil Velez each tallied two hits. Minnick was 3-for-3 to lead UNC, which also finished with 10 hits.

SDSU and UNC are scheduled to play the middle game of their three-game series at 1 p.m. Mountain Time (2 p.m. Central) on Saturday.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8, NORTHERN COLORADO 3
SDSU 302 100 110 8-10-0
UNC 000 200 100 3-10-4
SDSU: Andrew Clemen, Joe Erickson (8) and Luke Ringhofer. UNC: Connor Leedholm, Spencer Applebach (3), Allen Cook (6), Jacob Howard (7), Cody Carroll (8) and Payton Tapia, Will Frei.
W-Clemen (1-3). L-Leedholm (0-4). Save-none.
HR: none.