SDSU RETURNS TO NEBRASKA FOR SERIES WITH BEARS

Thursday, March 28

Papillion, Neb. // Papillion La Vista South H.S.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann

3/27/2024 9:44:00 PM | Baseball

Northern Colorado (2-22, 2-4 Summit) vs. South Dakota State (11-12, 4-1 Summit)

When	Thursday-Friday, March 28-29 • 1 p.m. Thursday • 1 p.m. Friday (doubleheader)
Where	Papillion La Vista South High School \| Papillion, Nebraska
TV	Summit League Network \| Midco Sports Plus
Radio	GoJacks.com
Live Stats	KJJQ 910 AM \| GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Northern Colorado \| The Summit League
Social Media	Twitter \| Instagram \| #RAB5

The state of Nebraska has turned into the home away from home in recent weeks for the South Dakota State baseball team.

The Summit League-leading Jackrabbits will continue their ventures in the Cornhusker State with a three-game series against Northern Colorado that was moved south as recent wintry weather forced the postponement of SDSU's home opener. The series will now be played Thursday and Friday at Papillion La Vista South High School in the greater Omaha metro area.

The series kicks off with a single nine-inning game at 1 p.m. Thursday and concludes with a doubleheader Friday starting at 1 p.m. All three games will be available for viewing through the Summit League Network powered by Midco Sports Plus, with audio coverage on Brookings-based KJJQ 910 AM and GoJacks.com/watch.

SDSU enters the week with an 11-12 overall record and tied atop the league standings with St. Thomas at 4-1. The Jackrabbits and Tommies split an abbreviated two-game series last weekend at Tal Anderson Field on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.

Northern Colorado, meanwhile, cracked the win column with a pair of home victories to take their home series from Omaha, two games to one. The Bears are 2-22 overall.

Updates of Jackrabbit baseball will be available via Twitter (@GoJacksBaseball) and through GoJacks.com.

THE SERIES: Thursday's game between SDSU and Northern Colorado will mark the 69th meeting in a series that dates back to 1973. The Jackrabbits lead the all-time series, 40-28.

Since both teams moved from NCAA Division II and the North Central Conference to Division I in the mid-2000s, SDSU has held the upper hand in the series by a 30-17 count.

The two teams split the season series in 2023 at three wins apiece although neither team played a game on its home field due to inclement weather and unplayable field conditions. UNC won two of the three games played March 24-26 in Colorado Springs, while SDSU claimed a 2-1 series win in games played May 13 at Bob Shelden Field in Brookings and May 14 (doubleheader) at Ronken Field at Karras Park in Sioux Falls.

The May 2023 games in Brookings and Sioux Falls marked the first time SDSU and UNC met on South Dakota soil since 2007, when the Jackrabbits swept a three-game series in Rapid City. The Bears' last visit to Brookings for baseball was in 2001, in what were the final games played at the original Erv Huether Field.

SDSU swept the May 14, 2023, doubleheader by scores of 7-6 and 18-7 on the strength of hitting nine home runs in the twinbill. Nic Nelson and Drew Beazley each homered in the opener while Nelson led a seven-home run barrage in Game 2 with three round-trippers. Reece Anderson, Luke Ira, Dawson Parry and Thatcher Kozal also homered in Game 2 for the Jackrabbits.

SHORT HOPS: Following are some quick notes regarding the South Dakota State baseball team:

The Jackrabbits have scored first in 17 of their 23 games so far this season and hold a 10-7 record when scoring first. SDSU has tallied at least one run in the first inning 11 times, scoring 21 runs.
SDSU pitchers combined to limit New Mexico State to only one hit in the Jackrabbits' Feb. 18 victory. However, Jackrabbit hurlers issued 14 free passes in the game — 12 walks and two hit batters. The SDSU pitching staff held Oral Roberts to only one hit through eight innings of their series finale March 17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
With their series-opening shutout against St. Thomas on March 22, the Jackrabbits won a game by a 1-0 score for the time since a home win versus Fort Wayne on March 31, 2017.
The Jackrabbits won two games in the SIUE series in their last at-bat, scoring three times in the top of the ninth in the March 1 series opener and putting together a game-winning three-run frame in the top of the seventh inning in the second game of a March 2 doubleheader. SDSU also won in its last at-bat on Feb. 18 at New Mexico State on a ninth-inning grand slam by Dawson Parry.
Parry hit two grand slams the week of March 11-17, giving him three for the season and five for his career. He connected in the first inning of the Jackrabbits' March 13 game at Kansas State and again in the sixth inning of the March 17 series finale at Oral Roberts. With the bases loaded this season, Parry is 5-for-6 with the three grand slams and one walk for a total of 16 runs batted in and a 2.333 slugging percentage. He also delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded Feb. 17 at New Mexico State and came through with a run-scoring base hit with the sacks full March 16 at Oral Roberts.
Parry set an SDSU single-game record by drawing five bases on balls in the Feb. 19 series finale at New Mexico State. Parry doubled in his only official at-bat in the sixth inning after walking his first three times to the plate, including twice intentionally. The previous record of four walks in a game was shared by four players, including Ryan McDonald in 2023.
Cael Frost hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat as a Jackrabbit in the top of the first inning of the Feb. 16 season opener at New Mexico State. Frost has recorded a hit in 21 of the 23 games he has played this season, although he had a 19-game hitting streak end in the March 22 series opener against St. Thomas, but managed to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 21 games. Frost's 19-game hit streak tied Tyson Fisher (2006) and Matt Johnson (2016) for the longest hitting streak within a season in the D-I era of Jackrabbit baseball (since 2005).
SDSU's starting pitchers in the Oral Roberts series — Nic McCay, Jake Goble and Reece Arbogast — worked at least 6 1/3 innings in winning efforts. In a combined 20 innings, the Jackrabbit trio allowed six runs (five earned) with 21 strikeouts and seven walks.
Dylan Driessen made relief appearances in each of the first two games of the ORU series and was credited with his first career save after recording the final two outs of the March 15 series opener. Driessen leads the team with 11 appearances and has been used in numerous high-leverage situations, allowing nine of 22 inherited runners to score.
Alex Clemons earned the first two saves of his career in finishing off Jackrabbit wins over SIUE on March 1 (6-3) and March 2 (Game 2, 5-4), then was credited with the victory after pitching the final two innings of the March 8 series opener at Dayton. Clemons has 14 strikeouts in seven innings with three saves over his last six outings.

PEAK PLAYERS: South Dakota State players have combined for six TicketSmarter Summit League weekly awards so far this season.

Most recently, Nic McCay earned his second consecutive Peak Pitcher of the Week Award on March 25 after tossing eight shutout innings with eight strikeouts March 22 against St. Thomas. He allowed three hits, walked one and hit one batter while improving to 2-0 on the season and lowering his earned run average to 2.28.

McCay and Cael Frost (Peak Performer) swept the weekly awards March 18. Frost also was named the Peak Performer of the Week on March 4, when he was part of a sweep with Jake Goble as Peak Pitcher of the Week.

Dawson Parry was named the first Peak Performer of the Week of the 2024 season on Feb. 19.

PRESEASON POLL: South Dakota State has been picked to finish third in the 2024 Summit League baseball race, according to a preseason poll conducted among the league's head coaches that was announced in mid-February.

The Jackrabbits completed the 2023 season with a 24-28 overall record. After finishing third in the Summit League regular season standings with a 13-11 mark in league play, SDSU advanced to the title game of the Summit League tournament.

Defending champion Oral Roberts was again tabbed as the favorite, earning five first-place votes and 25 points. North Dakota State received the other first-place vote and was second in the poll with 21 points, followed by the Jackrabbits with 16 points.

Omaha (13), Northern Colorado (9) and St. Thomas (6) rounded out the six-team poll.

In addition, senior Dawson Parry was named a Summit League Player to Watch and junior Alex Clemons was tabbed as a Summit League Pitcher to Watch.

A first baseman from Highland, Utah, Parry is the team's top returning hitter after posting a .322 batting average with 10 home runs and 39 runs batted in during the 2023 campaign. Parry also hit 10 home runs in his first season with the Jackrabbits in 2022.

Clemons, a right-hander from Bettendorf, Iowa, appeared in 19 games with two starts during the 2023 season and is expected to move into the closer's role this season. He totaled 42 strikeouts in only 30 2/3 innings last year.

Summit League play will consist of a 30-game, double round-robin schedule, starting March 15-17 when the Jackrabbits play a three-game series at Oral Roberts. The four-team Summit League Baseball Championship is slated for May 22-25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

SUMMIT LEAGUE SUCCESS: South Dakota State has been a consistent winner in The Summit League since it became a league member more than a decade ago. Now in its 15th season as a member of The Summit League, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 219-177 (.553 winning percentage) record in regular season conference games. SDSU has posted a .500 or better record in league play 10 times and has qualified for the four-team postseason tournament 13 out of the 14 years it has been eligible.

The Jackrabbits shared a Summit League regular season title in 2010 and won the Summit postseason tournament in 2013.

SUMMIT AWARD WINNERS: Four Jackrabbit players who earned all-Summit League recognition last season return to the lineup in 2024.

Leading the returning contingent is second baseman Cade Stuff, who received second-team recognition in 2023. A native of Great Falls, Montana, Stuff shared the team lead with 16 doubles while batting .286 with five home runs and 24 runs batted in.

Also returning among position players are honorable mention selections Dawson Parry at first base and center fielder Reece Anderson.

Parry was one of two Jackrabbits to start all 52 games last season, finishing 2023 with a .322 batting average along with 10 home runs and 39 runs batted in.

Anderson moved into the leadoff spot late in the 2023 campaign and responded by posting a .286 batting average with five homers and 28 RBIs. The Johnston, Iowa, native also excelled in the field, committing only one error in 126 defensive chances that included three outfield assists. He later was named to the all-tournament team at the Summit League Baseball Championship for the second time in his career.

Representing the Jackrabbit pitching staff on the year-end awards list was right-handed starter Jake Goble. A Rapid City native, Goble closed out his sophomore season by tying for the team lead in victories after notching a 5-3 record over 15 appearances with 11 starts. He finished the year with a 4.32 ERA in a team-high 58 1/3 innings, and limited the opposition to a .240 batting average.

ROAD WARRIORS: As has been the norm for college baseball programs from northern states, SDSU will spend most of the first two months of the season away from home.

By moving this weekend's series, the Jackrabbits are now scheduled to play their first 30 games of the season on the road, covering nine different states. After playing the first eight games of the season in the state of New Mexico (New Mexico State, Feb. 16-19; New Mexico Feb. 22-24), the Jacks also played nonconference series at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (March 1-3), Dayton (March 8-10), as well as Summit League series at Oral Roberts (March 15-17) and versus St. Thomas (March 22-24). Mid-week games at Kansas State (March 13) and Creighton (March 19) also are part of the early season slate.

SDSU's home opener was originally slated for March 28 against Northern Colorado, but is now slated for April 9 versus Northwestern College (Iowa). The delay in the home opener also means the Jackrabbits now have games scheduled at Minnesota (April 2) and North Dakota State (April
5-7) before playing in South Dakota for the first time this season.

During the 2023 season, SDSU played its first 26 games outside the state of South Dakota. Due to inclement weather and unplayable field conditions, the Jackrabbits managed to play only one true home game at Erv Huether Field last season. A Summit League series against North Dakota State in late March/early April was moved to the Omaha (Neb.)/Council Bluffs (Iowa) area, with three other games played in Sioux Falls. Seven other games slated to be played on the Brookings-based campus at Erv Huether Field were moved across town to the municipally run Bob Shelden Field.

POWER SURGE: The Jackrabbits dramatically increased their power numbers over the last two seasons, topping the 60-home run mark in both 2022 and 2023.

South Dakota State finished the 2022 season with a league-leading 62 home runs, followed by a school-record 89 round-trippers in 2023.

The Jackrabbits have picked up right where they left off, slugging a total of 34 home runs thus far during the 2024 campaign. SDSU hit at least one home run in each of its first 13 games and 16 of 20 for the season, highlighted by four round-trippers in the series-opening win at New Mexico on Feb. 22.

After hitting two home runs this past weekend against St. Thomas, SDSU ranks 51st among NCAA Division I teams with 34 home runs and 48th with an average of 1.48 home runs per game.

Newcomer Cael Frost leads the team with 10 home runs, followed by eight by Dawson Parry. Eleven different Jackrabbits have hit a home run so far this season as Jess Bellows joined the group in the March 8 series opener at Dayton.

SDSU hit at least one home run in each of its first nine games last season and had an 11-game home run streak later in the season. Overall, the Jacks hit a home run in 38 of 52 contests during the 2023 campaign, including a season-best seven homers two times.

The Jackrabbits finished the 2023 season ranked 29th among NCAA Division I teams with an average of 1.71 home runs per game and 40th with a .505 slugging percentage.

Individually, four Jackrabbits reached double figures in the home run category in 2023. All-region catcher Ryan McDonald, who was on a pace to shatter a number of SDSU single-season records before missing the final month of the season due to injury, still managed to lead the squad with 17 home runs. Nic Nelson, who recorded a pair of three-home run games in May, wound up with 16 home runs, followed by 15 from Luke Ira and 10 by Dawson Parry. Of that group, only Parry returns to the lineup in 2024.

Thirteen different Jackrabbit players hit at least one home run last season.

During the 2022 season, SDSU homered in 26 of its last 28 games, which included a school-record streak of 18 consecutive games with a homer from March 19-May 6, 2022.

BELLOWS' STREAKS END: Jess Bellows saw a pair of long streaks, including a record-setting hitting streak, come to an end during last weekend's series at Dayton.

A junior outfielder from Miles City, Montana, Bellows established a new Jackrabbit record for longest hitting streak in the Division I era (since 2005) with a 20-game streak over two seasons. He set the mark with a home run in his first at-bat March 8 at Dayton, surpassing the 19-game single-season streaks put together by Tyson Fisher (2006) and Matt Johnson (2009).

Bellows' streak covered the last nine games of the 2023 season and his first 11 games of the 2024 campaign. Combined, he hit .413 (31-for-75) during his 20-game hitting streak, starting with a 15-for-35 performance to close out 2023, followed by a 16-for-40 showing to open 2024.

In addition, Bellows' streak of reaching base safely ended at 32 games in the March 10 series finale at Dayton. Although his hitting streak ended in the second game of the March 8 doubleheader at Dayton, Bellows did reach base on a hit by pitch. He recorded a two-hit game March 9, but did not reach base in three plate appearances the next day.

McCAY COMES BACK AGAIN: For the second time in his collegiate career, pitcher Nic McCay is on the comeback trail.

The senior right-hander from Carlisle, Iowa, made a successful return to the mound in the Feb. 22 series opener at New Mexico by tossing three scoreless innings in a starting role. He ended his stint with seven strikeouts, including striking out the side in each of the first two innings, while walking one and allowing one hit.

McCay had missed three of the last four seasons due to injury, including the entire 2023 campaign. Previously, he was sidelined during both the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

McCay began his Jackrabbit career by earning Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball in 2019 after posting a 6-1 record with a 4.08 earned run average over 14 starts. He also struck out 83 batters in 79 1/3 innings en route to second-team all-Summit League recognition.

In 2022, McCay marked his initial comeback by leading the team with 68 strikeouts and 68 1/3 innings pitched in 14 starts. He was honored on the all-Summit League Second Team for the second time in his career as he ended that season with a 4-4 record.

A native of Carlisle, Iowa, McCay moved into the Jackrabbit career top 10 for strikeouts earlier this season and matched a Jackrabbit single-game record in the Division I era with a 13-strikeout performance March 15 at Oral Roberts. He passed four pitchers on the career strikeouts chart in that March 15 outing and enters the week in sixth place with 189 K's. McCay also has moved into the SDSU career top 10 in games started by a pitcher this season as his four starts in 2024 have upped his total to 33.

In addition, McCay's 83 strikeouts his freshman season rank ninth on the Jackrabbit single-season charts.

SAGEDAHL A JACK OF MANY TRADES: Senior Jordan Sagedahl began the 2024 seson as the Jackrabbits' Opening Day starter at third base, but has shown the ability to play wherever needed during his collegiate career.

Sagedahl had seen the bulk of his action over the past two seasons at second base after playing 39 games at third base as a freshman in 2021. He made 16 appearances at second base in 2023, as well as seven at catcher, four at third base and two as the designated hitter.
In addition, Sagedahl made four pitching appearances — all in relief — last season. He posted a 1-0 record with one save while striking out 11 batters in 8 1/3 innings of work.

Sagedahl made his first start of the season at catcher in the March 3 series finale at SIUE and responded with the first two-home run game of his career. He also recorded 12 putouts in the contest behind a 10-strikeout performance by Arlen Peters.

TRANSFERS PROVIDE REINFORCEMENTS: The Jacks are counting on contributions from six transfers in their attempt to climb to the top of The Summit League in 2024.

The pitching staff welcomes three newcomers, including right-hander Arlen Peters, who was the team's Opening Day starter. A native of Schanzenfeld, Manitoba, Peters began his collegiate career in the Kansas junior college ranks, pitching at Johnson County Community College in 2021 and Kansas City Community College in 2022. He was an all-conference selection in 2022 after turning in a 6-2 record, but missed the 2023 campaign due to injury.

He began the season in the starting rotation before moving to the bullpen in recent weeks. Peters became the first Jackrabbit in two seasons to post double digits for strikeouts in a game, fanning 10 in a no-decision at SIUE on March 3.

Also expected to contribute in a setup role is another right-hander, Sam Schlecht. A native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Schlecht began his collegiate career at Summit League rival St. Thomas before spending the 2023 season at Iowa Central Community College, where he led the squad with 87 strikeouts in 72 innings and posted a 6-5 record.

Schlecht is tied for second on the team with nine appearances, including a start in the second game of a March 8 doubleheader at Dayton.

Rounding out the pitching additions is Alex Koep. The left-hander from Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, was an NCAA Division II All-America selection and earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023. He compiled a 7-1 record with a 2.43 ERA last season as a starter, but has most of his innings out of the bullpen this season as a setup man and alternate closer with the Jackrabbits. Koep recorded his first win as a Jackrabbit by pitching four strong innings of relief in the Feb. 22 series-opening win at New Mexico.

Among position players, outfielder Cael Frost headlines the list of newcomers after earning all-region recognition at Kirkwood Community College (Kan.). Frost batted .379 in each of his two junior college seasons, tallying 12 home runs, 17 doubles and a triple with 55 RBIs as a sophomore.

Frost has been the Jackrabbits' primary right fielder and has responded by batting a team-best .396 (36-for-91) while also leading the team with 10 home runs, eight doubles and an .813 slugging percentage. He also ranks second on the squad with 29 RBIs.

Catcher Davis Carr also has moved into a regular starting role this season at catcher. A junior from Keller, Texas, who most recently played at Walla Walla Community College (Wash.), Carr has hit a pair of home runs and driven in 12 runs so far this season on only 10 hits.

COACH BISHOP: Rob Bishop, who has guided college baseball teams to more than 600 victories, was named head baseball coach at South Dakota State University on Aug. 1, 2016. Bishop is the ninth head coach in program history and the fourth in the Division I era of Jackrabbit baseball.

Now in his eighth season with the Jackrabbits, Bishop holds a 149-185 record at SDSU, including a 90-75 mark in Summit League regular season games. He recorded his 100th win with the Jackrabbits on April 3, 2022, as SDSU posted a 2-1 victory at St. Thomas.

In his first season, Bishop's 2017 squad returned to the winning side of the ledger with a 26-24 overall mark, including an 18-12 record for a third-place finish in The Summit League standings. SDSU won its opening-round game in the Summit League Baseball Championship, 6-5, over second-seeded North Dakota State.

In 2018, SDSU overcame a slow start to post a winning record in Summit League play at 14-13 and went on to reach the title game of the Summit League Baseball Championship. The Jackrabbits finished with an 18-32 overall record during a campaign in which they played only six home games.

SDSU bounced back in 2019, posting a 28-22 overall record that included a second-place mark of 19-10 in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits won or split nine of the 10 league series in regular season play en route to making an appearance in the four-team Summit League Baseball Championship for the 10th time in 11 years.

The 2020 season was canceled just before the start of Summit League play, with SDSU posting a 5-12 record in the first month of the season. The Jackrabbits recorded wins at Minnesota, Air Force and Kansas State the final week of the pandemic-shortened campaign.

When play resumed in the spring of 2021, the Jackrabbits posted a 15-32 overall record and suffered their first losing season in league play since 2016, but managed to earn the fourth and final spot in the Summit League Baseball Championship.

SDSU used a powerful offense to return to the Summit League tournament in 2022 after posting a 13-9 record in league play. The Jackrabbits, who doubled up the opposition in home runs by a 62-30 count, played only 12 home games in posting a 22-23 overall mark.

The Jackrabbits continued their offensive prowess in 2023 by setting a school record with 89 home runs in 52 games. SDSU played only one true home game but managed a 24-28 overall record and another winning season in Summit League play with a 13-11 mark. That momentum carried over to the four-team league postseason tournament, where the Jackrabbits made a run to the title game.

Overall, Bishop holds a 698-507-1 record (.579 winning percentage) as a collegiate head coach. He earned his 600th career victory in the Jackrabbits' 8-6 victory at UA Little Rock on March 10, 2019.

Individually, Jackrabbit players have been honored as all-Summit League performers 34 times during Bishop's tenure, including nine all-league selections in 2023. Catcher Ryan McDonald was a first-team all-league honoree at catcher and later earned second-team ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region recognition. Drew Beazley earned all-Summit League honors for the third time in his career as a second-team outfielder while Cade Stuff was named to the second team as a second baseman. Six other Jackrabbits were honorable mention selections.

In addition, Bishop has mentored a handful of Jackrabbit players who have pursued professional careers. Catcher Luke Ringhofer was selected in the 22nd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles and relief pitcher Chris Halbur was offered a free agent contract by the Los Angeles Dodgers after Bishop's first season in Brookings. Shortstop Gus Steiger signed with the Cincinnati Reds following an abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft. In 2019, left-handed pitcher Brady Stover was a 31st-round pick of the Washington Nationals, but opted to return to the Jackrabbits for his senior season.

Following the 2023 MLB Draft, pitcher Ryan Bourassa signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves organization.

Prior to becoming head coach at SDSU, Bishop spent six years at NCAA Division II member Montana State University-Billings, where he led the Yellowjackets to back-to-back Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular season titles in 2015 and 2016, attaining the program's first-ever 30-win season with a 30-20 record in 2016.

Previously, Bishop spent 10 years at Miles City Community College in Montana, where his teams won MonDak conference championships every year. His squads also claimed five consecutive junior college region titles and a Northwest District championship in 2007 to advance to the NJCAA Division II College World Series.

Bishop's teams won at least 30 games in all 10 seasons, including four with 40 wins. He ended his tenure at Miles City with a 377-151 overall record. He also served as athletic director the last five years of his tenure at Miles City.

Bishop served as a graduate assistant at SDSU under head coach Mark Ekeland during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. In his first year as a head coach, Bishop led Huron University to the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference title in 2000 with a 38-18 record.

A 1994 graduate of Jamestown College, Bishop earned NAIA All-America honors during the 1992 and 1994 seasons as an infielder.

THE ROSTER: The 2024 SDSU baseball roster features 38 players from nine different states and one Canadian province. Of the 38 players, 14 are from Minnesota, eight are from South Dakota, five are Iowa natives, and four hail from Nebraska. Two players are from Montana, while Colorado, Texas, Utah, Washington and Manitoba are represented by one player each.

By class, two are graduate transfers, six are seniors and 14 are juniors. The sophomore and redshirt freshman classes each have five players, while six are incoming freshmen.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits are slated to continue Summit League play with a three-game weekend series April 5-7 at North Dakota State. The series opener is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch, with games April 6 and 7 slated for respective start times of 2 and 1 p.m. at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota.

-GoJacks.com-