Jacks edged in series finale at Air Force

Sunday, March 8

USAF Academy, Colo.

noon MT/1 p.m. CT

South Dakota State University

4-11

Air Force

5-12

South Dakota State

Air Force

Photo by: SDSU Sports Information

3/8/2020 4:17:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force made the most of its six hits, edging South Dakota State by a 6-5 count Sunday in the finale of a three-game baseball series at Falcon Field.

In winning the decisive game of the three-game series, Air Force improved to 5-12 overall. The Jackrabbits dropped to 4-11.

Five of the Falcons' six hits went for extra bases, including run-scoring doubles by Gabriel Garcia in the first inning and Ashton Easley an inning later.

SDSU scored in the top of the first on a base hit by Josh Falk that plated Gus Steiger. The Jackrabbits closed the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the fifth when Steiger singled home Landon Badger.

Air Force scored the next three runs, putting an unearned run on the board in the fifth and adding two in the seventh. Blake Covin doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly before Cole Blatchford hit his third home run of the series, a solo shot that made the score 6-2 in favor of the Falcons.

The Jackrabbits drew back to within a run with a three-run top of the eighth. Luke Ira doubled in the first two runs and later scored on Derek Hackman's single to left field.

Steiger was 3-for-4 to lead SDSU's 10-hit effort. Falk and Hackman each added a pair of hits.

SDSU starter Brady Stover took the loss despite a season-high seven strikeouts in five innings. The senior left-hander allowed four runs on four hits with four bases on balls.

John Byrnes picked up the win after pitching three innings of relief. Easley came in to pitch in the ninth and was credited with his first save of the season.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits continue their Spring Break trip by opening a two-game midweek series Tuesday at Kansas State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.

NOTES

Air Force leads the all-time series, 13-7
Falk extended his hitting streak to eight games
Steiger recorded his third multi-hit game in the last four contests in raising his batting average to a team-best .340
Steiger batted .538 (7-for-13) in the series and scored five runs
Braeden Brown reached base four times on two walks and two hit by pitches
Nate Steenblock pitched a scoreless eighth inning, marking his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance covering 6 1/3 innings
The Jackrabbits dropped to 1-5 in one-run games and are now 0-7 when scoring first