SLOW START DOOMS JACKS IN SERIES FINALE

Saturday, March 23

Omaha, Neb. // Tal Anderson Field

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

11-12, 4-1

St. Thomas

9-11, 4-1

South Dakota State

St. Thomas (Minn.)

Photo by: Chris Board

3/23/2024 10:25:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. — St. Thomas built a nine-run lead through three innings and defeated South Dakota State, 11-5, Saturday to earn a split of an abbreviated Summit League baseball series played at Tal Anderson Field.

In claiming the final game of a weather-altered two-game set, St. Thomas improved to 8-11 overall and drew even with the Jackrabbits atop the league standings at 4-1. SDSU dropped to 11-12 overall.

The Tommies struck for six unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning — all of which scored after SDSU starter Jake Goble retired the next two hitters after the leadoff batter, Ben Vujovich, reached on an error. A single and walk loaded the bases, which were cleared on a double to center field by Max Nyrop, who later scored on a triple by Joe Vos. Mikey Gottschalk's bunt single brought home Vos and Gottschalk scored on UST's fourth consecutive hit, a double by Zan VonSchegell.

UST added a run on a bases-loaded walk in the second inning and tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third on run-scoring hits by Brigs Richartz and Max Moris.

Cael Frost put the Jackrabbits on the board with his team-leading 10^th home run to lead off the top of the fourth. SDSU further cut into the deficit with a four-run seventh inning as Thatcher Kozal connected on a two-run homer and Dawson Parry added a two-run single that plated both Frost and Reece Anderson.

St. Thomas added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to put the game out of reach. The sixth-inning run scored on a triple by VonSchlegell, while Moris doubled in the seventh-inning tally.

Six of the Tommies' 12 hits were for extra bases as four different players recorded two hits each. Frost and Davis Carr each tallied two of SDSU's nine hits.

Brady Hawkins and Sam Schlecht each pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Jackrabbits. SDSU's six pitchers in the game combined for 11 strikeouts and issued nine walks.

Walker Retz struck out six batters in 3 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win for St. Thomas.

UP NEXT
Weather-permitting, the Jackrabbits are slated to open the home season with a three-game Summit League series March 28-30 against Northern Colorado. Thursday's series opener is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Erv Huether Field.

NOTES

St. Thomas recorded its first win against the Jackrabbits in 11 tries
Parry registered his team-leading ninth multi-RBI game of the season
Frost recorded his 10^th multi-hit game this season and has reached base in 21 consecutive contests
SDSU hit multiple home runs in a game for the 10^th time in 2024
The two squads are scheduled to play a three-game series April 19-21 in Brookings

-GoJacks.com-