FIVE-RUN SECOND LIFTS JACKS OVER ORU

Saturday, May 21

Brookings, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

5/21/2022 5:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Cody Carlson turned in his second consecutive strong start and South Dakota State scored five times in the bottom of the second inning as the Jackrabbit baseball team wrapped up the regular season with a 7-3 victory over Oral Roberts Saturday afternoon at Erv Huether Field.

In salvaging the final game of the three-game Summit League series, SDSU improved to 22-21 overall and 13-9 in league play. ORU dropped to 35-18 overall and a second-place mark of 17-7 in The Summit League.

The Jackrabbits batted around in the second inning as they plated their five runs on five hits. Derek Hackman opened the frame with a four-pitch walk issued by Golden Eagle starter Evan Kowalski, then advanced to second and third on back-to-back singles by Nic Nelson and Drew Beazley. Hackman later scored on a fielders choice groundout off the bat of Jamie Berg, while Jordan Sagedahl followed with an infield single that drove in Nelson for a 2-0 lead.

With the bases once again loaded, Luke Ira hit a slow roller to third base that led to two runs as Ira was safe at first and the ensuing throw to first base was off-line, allowing both Berg and Sagedahl to score on the play. Ryan McDonald knocked in the final run of the inning with a single through the left side that scored Henry George.

Carlson, the reigning Summit League Pitcher of the Week, allowed only a solo home run to Jake McMurray in the third inning over his five innings of work. The senior left-hander scattered five hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Freshman pitchers Reece Arbogast and Brady Hawkins each followed with a scoreless frame as the Jackrabbits added to their lead with single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. Thatcher Kozal walked and scored on an error in the sixth, then doubled in Nic Nelson for the seventh-inning run after Nelson reached on the third ORU error of the game.

ORU scored twice against Jackrabbit reliever Bret Barnett in the eighth inning, but the left-hander managed to strike out four over the final two innings.

The Golden Eagles held a 9-8 advantage in hits, with ORU's Jackson Loftin going 3-for-4, including an RBI single in the eighth. Blake Shannon plated the other Golden Eagle run with a base hit.

McDonald collected two of the Jackrabbits' hits as he reached base safely for the 31^st consecutive game.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits and Oral Roberts are slated to meet again in the opening round of the Summit League Baseball Championship Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at J.L. Johnson Stadium on the ORU campus.

NOTES

Oral Roberts won the regular season series, 5-1
Carlson has factored in the decision in all 12 of his starts this season (7-5 record)
Barnett moved into sole possession of third place on the SDSU career charts with his 73^rd career appearance, breaking a tie with former teammate Brett Mogen (72 appearances from 2017-21)
Barnett gave up an extra-base hit for the first time this season on a ground-rule double by ORU's Caleb Denny in the eighth inning
George had his eight-game hitting streak come to an end
McDonald recorded his 14^th multi-game of the season and upped his team-best batting average to .324
Ira has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games
Arbogast worked out of the bullpen for the second straight day and posted three scoreless innings over his two appearances