STILLWATER, Okla. – Freshman Brady Stover pitched five strong innings and Chris Halbur finished the game with two solid innings of relief to lead the South Dakota State University baseball team to a 2-1, series-opening win Friday afternoon over 18th-ranked Oklahoma State at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
The Jackrabbits, who recorded a win over a ranked opponent for the second year in a row, improved to 6-5 overall. Oklahoma State dropped to 7-6 on the season.
SDSU scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the fifth. Nick Smith singled with one out, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
A left-hander from Huxley, Iowa, Stover completed his longest outing as a Jackrabbit with six strikeouts and three walks, while allowing one run on only two hits.
Oklahoma State threatened against the Jackrabbit bullpen in the late innings. The first two Cowboy batters of the seventh inning walked, but the tandem of Derek Feige and Quinn Reimers retired the next three batters to hold the lead at 2-1.
Halbur entered after two more walks to Cowboy batters were issued to open the eighth. The senior right-hander from Manning, Iowa, proceeded to keep Oklahoma State at bay with a groundout and two strikeouts to end the threat. In the ninth, Halbur allowed a leadoff single, but retire the next three hitters on a sacrifice bunt and pair of foul popouts to record his third save of the season.
SDSU opened the scoring with an unearned run in the top of the third. Phil Velez reached on an infield single with one out and advanced to second via a throwing error on the same play. The second OSU error of the inning extended the inning and Luke Ringhofer plated Velez with a single to right field.
Oklahoma State tied the game in the home half of the fourth on an RBI groundout by Dustin Williams, which scored Garrett Benge after a leadoff walk.
The Jackrabbits held an 8-3 advantage in hits, with SDSU third baseman Newt Johnson the lone player with more than one hit in the game by going 2-for-5.
The two teams are scheduled to play the second game of their series at 2 p.m. Saturday.
NOTES
* SDSU last defeated a ranked opponent on May 17, 2016, winning a 7-6, 10-inning decision against No. 21 Minnesota
* The Jackrabbits won for the first time in 13 all-time games against Oklahoma State, dating back to 1982
* Friday's game marked the first matchup between the two programs since SDSU moved to Division I at the start of the 2005 season
* Matt Johnson recorded a sixth-inning double to extend his hitting streak to 11 games
* Halbur has yet to allow a run in seven appearances this season, covering nine innings
* Ryan Froom (2-0, 2.84 ERA) is the Jackrabbits' scheduled starter on Saturday
Â