JACKRABBITS CLOSE HOME SLATE WITH UNC - South Dakota State University Athletics

Saturday, May 13

Brookings, S.D.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Northern Colorado

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

5/11/2023 9:46:00 AM | Baseball

GAMES 42-44: Northern Colorado (8-31, 5-13 Summit) at South Dakota State (18-21, 10-8)

When	Saturday-Sunday, May 13-14 1 p.m. Saturday (Senior Day-Doubleheader) \| 1 p.m. Sunday
Where	Bob Shelden Field (note location change) \| Brookings, South Dakota
TV	GoJacks.com/watch
Radio	GoJacks.com/watch
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Northern Colorado \| The Summit League
Social Media	Twitter \| Instagram \| #RAB5

The South Dakota State baseball team will attempt to lock up a berth in the upcoming Summit League Baseball Championship as it welcomes Northern Colorado to Erv Huether Field for a three-game weekend series.

Friday's series opener is slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch, with games Saturday and Sunday afternoon set for 1 p.m. The six members of the 2023 Jackrabbit baseball senior class will be honored prior to Saturday's game.

SDSU enters the series in third place in the league standings with a 10-8 mark. Overall, the Jackrabbits are 19-22 after winning one of three games in nonconference action last weekend at Purdue. The fourth — and final — game of the series was canceled due to inclement weather.

Northern Colorado comes into the weekend with an 8-31 overall record, including a 5-13 mark in Summit League play. The Bears are in sixth place in the league standings, percentage points behind fifth-place Western Illinois.

Two of UNC's victories came against the Jackrabbits in a series March 24-26 that was moved to the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs to kick off the league slate. The Bears book-ended 9-7 and 9-6 wins around a 17-3 drubbing by the Jackrabbits in the second game of a March 24 doubleheader.

Updates of Jackrabbit baseball also are available throughout the season via Twitter (@GoJacksBaseball) and through GoJacks.com.

THE SERIES: Friday's game between SDSU and Northern Colorado will mark the 66th meeting in a series that dates back to 1973. The Jackrabbits lead the all-time series, 38-27.

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 28-16 count.

Each of the last 34 games between the two programs has been played on the Bears' home field or a neutral site. The last time SDSU and UNC met on South Dakota soil was in 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.

Northern Colorado claimed the opening game of the first series this season, 9-7, by scoring four times in the bottom of the eighth inning. Caden Wagner capped the inning with a three-run home run off Jackrabbit closer Ryan Bourassa.

SDSU earned a split of the March 24 twinbill with a 17-3, seven-inning victory in Game 2. The Jacks established a number of offensive season highs in the game and were led at the plate by Ryan McDonald, who went 3-for-4 and scored four times. Reece Anderson posted his second three-RBI game of the doubleheader by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning and adding a two-run single in the seventh.

The Bears took the series with a 9-6 victory on March 26 behind a 4-for-4 afternoon at the plate from Carson Gross.

SHORT HOPS: Following are some quick notes about the Jackrabbit baseball team heading into this weekend's series against Northern Colorado:

Due to inclement weather and unplayable field conditions, the Jackrabbits have played only one game at Erv Huether Field this season. SDSU has played six games across town at Bob Shelden Field and is 7-0 in games played in Brookings this season, including sweeping Summit League series from Omaha (April 14-16) and St. Thomas (April 23-24).
SDSU put together an 11-game winning streak from April 9-26 that stands as the longest in program history during the Division I era (since 2005). The Jacks outscored the opposition, 119-48, and hit 31 home runs during their 11-game winning streak.
Catcher Ryan McDonald suffered a season-ending knee injury in the April 29 game at Oral Roberts. At the time of his injury, McDonald ranked second among NCAA Division I players with a .929 slugging percentage, while also ranking third in on-base percentage (.575) and 19th with 17 home runs, although he ranked eighth in home runs per game (.47).
McDonald became the first Jackrabbit player in the Division I era to record double figures for home runs?(17) and stolen bases (11) in the same season. It had been 31 years since any Jackrabbit player reached those numbers, when Jon Crow (15 homers, 16 steals) and Greg Endres (10 homers, 12 steals) both accomplished the feat in 1992.
The Jackrabbits have hit five grand slams this season, with Nic Nelson hitting his second of the season in an April 18 victory against Northwestern (Iowa).
Reece Anderson moved into the leadoff spot in the Purdue series and responded by batting .429 (6-for-14) with a double and two runs batted in. Anderson, who tied a season high with three hits in the May 6 win over the Boilermakers, has reached base safely in 18 of the last 19 games.
Drew Beazley had a six-game hitting streak snapped in the May 7 series finale at Purdue. Beazley has recorded an extra-base hit in 12 of the Jackrabbits' last 19 games, collecting seven doubles, two triples and six home runs in that span for an .844 slugging percentage while also raising his batting average 88 points to .279. He currently leads the team with 14 doubles and has moved into a tie for seventh place on the SDSU career charts with 48 doubles.
Freshman right-hander Will Kent has combined to allow only one run over 13 2/3 innings (0.66 ERA) in three mid-week starts. In his last start, Kent tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win April 26 at Nebraska.

PRESEASON POLL: South Dakota State has been picked to finish fourth in the 2023 Summit League baseball race, according to a poll among the league's seven head coaches that was released in mid-February. The Jackrabbits, coached by Rob Bishop, are coming off a 2022 campaign in which they finished 22-23 overall and placed third in the Summit League standings at 13-9.

Reigning tournament champion Oral Roberts was tabbed as the favorite this season, earning six first-place votes for a total of 42 points. Defending regular season champion North Dakota State was picked second with 36 points and the remaining first-place vote, followed by Omaha with 30 points and SDSU with 24.

Rounding out the poll were St. Thomas (17), Northern Colorado (12) and Western Illinois (7).

The top four teams will advance to the Summit League Baseball Championship slated for May 24-27 in Fargo, North Dakota.

In addition, SDSU seniors Luke Ira and Ryan Bourassa were included on the list of Summit League Players and Pitchers to Watch. A shortstop from Iowa City, Iowa, Ira shared the team lead in home runs last season with 10, while batting .290 and driving in 32 runs. He also tallied a career-best .508 slugging percentage while starting all 45 of the team's games.

Bourassa was a first-team all-Summit League selection as a relief pitcher in 2022, when he posted a 2.13 earned run average and was credited with five saves. The native of West Fargo, North Dakota, logged 42 1/3 innings in 17 appearances last season, striking out 64 batters and limiting opposing hitters to a .145 batting average.

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 14th season as a member of The Summit League, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 211-171 (.552 winning percentage) record in regular season conference games. SDSU has posted a .500 or better record in league play nine times and has qualified for the four-team postseason tournament 12 out of the 13 years it has been eligible.

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

GOBLE NAMED PEAK PITCHER: For the second time this season, South Dakota State right-hander Jake Goble was honored April 24 as TicketSmarter Summit League Peak Pitcher of the Week.

A sophomore from Rapid City, Goble pitched seven shutout innings in an April 23 start against St. Thomas, allowing three hits while striking out five without a walk. He retired 14 consecutive batters in one stretch in improving to 4-1 on the season.

His seven innings marked the longest outing by a Jackrabbit pitcher this season — one he matched May 7 at Purdue. Goble limited Purdue to one unearned run on one hit in his latest outing.

Goble previously was honored with the weekly award March 20.

POWER SURGE: The Jackrabbits have 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. It marked the most hit by an SDSU squad since a school-record 84 round-trippers in 2010.

One week into the final month of the regular season, the Jackrabbits have already exceeded their home run total from a year ago, hitting 70 home runs in 41 games. SDSU hit at least one home run in each of its first nine games this season and had an 11-game home run streak snapped in the April 23 series opener against St. Thomas. Overall, the Jacks have hit a home run in 31 of 41 contests this season, including a season-best seven homers April 11 at Briar Cliff.

Entering the weekend, SDSU ranks 30th among NCAA Division I teams with an average of 1.71 home runs per game and 37th with a .507 team slugging percentage.

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.

All three of SDSU's players who shared the team lead with 10 home runs a year ago — Luke Ira, Ryan McDonald and Dawson Parry — returned to the lineup in 2023. McDonald (17) and Ira (12) have again reached double figures in the home runs this season, with Parry tallying six so far in 2023.

Twelve different Jackrabbit players have homered so far this season, with freshman Matthew Werk joining the group with a two-run home run May 7 at Purdue.

McDONALD POSTS LONG STREAKS: South Dakota State's Ryan McDonald had his streak of reaching base safely end at 43 games in the March 12 series finale at Western Kentucky. — a streak that lasted more than a calendar year.

McDonald's streak of reaching base by either hit, walk or hit by pitch began when he drew a walk in the second game of a March 5, 2022, doubleheader at Central Arkansas.

Since his streak ended in a March 12 game in which the Jackrabbits were no-hit by Western Kentucky's Devyn Terbrak, McDonald started a new streak and reached base in the next 25 games until his injury, making it 68 of the last 69 games dating back to last year.

A senior from Prior Lake, Minnesota, McDonald closed the 2022 season with a 33-game streak, then extended that mark by reaching base safely in the first 10 games of 2023. His 43-game string represents the third-longest streak by a Jackrabbit player in the Division I era (since 2005), trailing a 45-game streak by Zach Coppola in 2015 and a 52-game stretch by Luke Ringhofer between the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

In earning second-team all-Summit League honors as a utility player last season, McDonald recorded team highs for batting average (.329), doubles (12), slugging percentage (.630) and on-base percentage (.446). He also shared the team lead with 10 home runs.

After splitting time at catcher, right field and designated hitter a year ago, McDonald made more of a full-time return behind the plate in 2023.

IRA THE IRON MAN: Senior shortstop Luke Ira has started 155 games in a row for the Jackrabbits, a streak that dates back to late in the 2019 season.

A native of Iowa City, Iowa, Ira has made 134 consecutive starts and a total of 136 starts at shortstop during his current streak. He also has made 17 starts at second base and two at third base.

Ira reached another career milestone when he became the 19th player in program history to record 200 career hits on April 23. His 200th hit was a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning of the second game of a doubleheader against St. Thomas.

Entering the series against Northern Colorado, Ira has tallied 207 career hits, which is tied with Tony Martin (2006-09) for 15th place on the Jackrabbit career charts. He is scheduled to play his 200th career game in Friday's series opener.

In addition, Ira has vaulted from seventh to second in career assists at SDSU during the 2023 season, and has upped his career total to 449.

SOPHOMORES TAKE NEXT STEP: Four sophomore members of the Jackrabbit pitching staff are expected to be key contributors during the 2023 season.

Jake Goble, who was sidelined by illness in the middle of the 2002 campaign, made eight relief appearances as a true freshman. The Rapid City native turned in a 1-2 record while tossing 18 innings.

Goble made four relief appearances before making seven starts since moving into the rotation in mid-March and has gone on to post a 4-2 record. He has held opponents to a .244 batting average in a team-high 43 1/3 innings so far this season.

Brady Hawkins returned from injury midway through the 2022 season to make a pair of mid-week starts and appear in two more games in relief. The Mitchell native ended that year with a 2-0 record and 2.00 earned run average while striking out nine in as many innings of work.

Hawkins has made five starts so far among his 12 appearances this season, pitching a total of 27 1/3 innings. His last start came in the April 28 series opener at Oral Roberts.

Alex Clemons was a mainstay in the bullpen last season and has been a primary setup man in 2023. The right-hander from Bettendorf, Iowa, shared the team lead with 17 appearances in 2022 and fanned 24 batters in 22 2/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .222 batting average.

So far this season, Clemons picked up his first career victory in the March 5 series finale at Utah Tech and later made his first career start in the March 17 series opener against Iowa. He has helped bridge the gap by throwing a combined 7 1/3 scoreless innings with only two hits allowed over his last three appearances against Summit League teams.

Clemons struck out three and walked one in a three-inning stint against Omaha on April 16, then came on to induce an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the April 23 opener against St. Thomas before posting three strikeouts in two more scoreless frames.

Left-hander Reece Arbogast also has expanded his role this season, highlighted by starts in each of the past six weekend series. Arbogast picked up his first win of the year in the April 14 series opener against Omaha in which he pitched six-plus strong innings.

Arbogast turned in an impressive season debut Feb. 17, allowing only one run over 4 1/3 innings of relief against Little Rock He set a career high with seven strikeouts, then added four more K's in 2 2/3 scoreless innings March 17 versus Iowa, followed by four more shutout innings in a relief appearance in the first game of a March 24 twinbill against Northern Colorado.

The Sioux Falls native posted a 1-1 record in 16 relief appearances during his freshman campaign and averaged a strikeout in each of his 21 innings pitched.

KEY PLAYERS RETURN: Three players who missed all or most of the 2022 season due to injury have returned to the Jackrabbit lineup this season and have filled key roles. All three were granted redshirts or injury hardships and did not lose a year of eligibility.

Sophomore outfielder Jess Bellows was limited to six games before being lost for the remainder of the 2022 campaign due to a shoulder injury. Bellows got off to a hot start at the plate with a .300 batting average (6-for-20) with three doubles in the season-opening three-game series at Little Rock, then added a .400 batting average (4-for-10) with two RBIs and two runs scored in a series March 17-19 against Iowa. He tied a career high with four RBIs in the Jackrabbits' April 26 win at Nebraska.

As a freshman in 2021, Bellows batted .250 with a home run and 16 runs batted in while making 44 starts as he saw action both in the outfield and at second base.

Junior infielder Cade Stuff appeared in five games with a pair of starts before being shut down for the remainder of the 2022 season. Stuff currently is second on the team with 11 doubles and ranks third with a .297 batting average. He posted his first career four-hit game March 14 at Lindenwood, in which he also hit his first home run.

On the mound, junior right-hander Eli Sundquist is playing a prominent role out of the Jackrabbit bullpen this season as the team's top setup man and secondary closer. A native of Chisholm, Minnesota, Sundquist missed the entire 2022 campaign after making a combined 22 appearances during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Sundquist has struck out 93 batters in 60 1/3 career innings and is limiting opponents to a .134 batting average in 2023. He pitched the final 2 1/3 innings in SDSU's April 26 win at Nebraska to record his first career save.

BOURASSA CONTINUES RECORD PACE: Senior right-hander Ryan Bourassa entered 2023 as the Jackrabbits' all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings pitched and has exceeded that pace in the first months of the season.

Bourassa entered the Feb. 18 game at Little Rock with the bases loaded and one out as the Jackrabbits were clinging to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. He proceeded to strike out the first two batters he faced and added five more strikeouts over the next three innings to complete the save.

In his next outing, in the second game of a March 4 doubleheader at Utah Tech, Bourassa successfully completed his second save opportunity of the season by striking out eight over three shutout innings in a 7-2 Jackrabbit victory.

In 117 1/3 career innings over three seasons, Bourassa has struck out 181 batters for an average of 13.88 K's per nine innings. That rate is more than two strikeouts per complete game better than the nearest Jackrabbit pitcher — former teammate Bret Barnett with a ratio of 11.88 K's per nine innings.

The right-hander moved into the SDSU top 10 for career strikeouts in his April 7 outing at Western Illinois. Bourassa now stands in fifth place in career strikeouts after breaking a tie with Layne Somsen (180 K's from 2009-13) last week.

Bourassa also holds two of the top three single-season ratios in program history. He began his Jackrabbit career in the starting rotation in 2021 and fanned 65 batters in only 42 1/3 innings that year to set an SDSU single-season record with an average of 13.82 K's per nine innings pitched. His rate so far this season is 14.64 K's per nine frames, which would eclipse his previous record mark.

The native of West Fargo, North Dakota, made a full-time transition to the bullpen in 2022 and nearly equaled his previous totals with 64 strikeouts in another 42 1/3 innings for a ratio of 13.61 strikeouts per nine innings, which stands third in program history.

In addition, Bourassa moved into sole possession of fifth place on the SDSU career saves chart with his 13th save in the Jackrabbits' May 6 victory at Purdue. That broke a tie with Chris Halbur (12 saves from 2016-17).

Bourassa turned in the best performance of his SDSU career March 25, 2022, at Oral Roberts as he tossed six shutout innings of relief, notching a career-high 12 strikeouts. He fanned the side in order in both the eighth and 11th innings, and allowed only one hit and one walk for a Jackrabbit squad that eventually dropped a 5-4 decision in 14 innings.

KUNZ EARNS OPENING DAY START: Senior right-hander Blake Kunz was tabbed as the Jackrabbits' Opening Day starter, bringing further attention to a meteoric rise on the mound for the former SDSU football player.

A native of Germantown, Wisconsin, Kunz made only one appearance last season after being a late addition to the baseball roster. His lone outing, April 17, 2022, at Northern Colorado, lasted two-thirds of an inning and resulted in him allowing one run while giving up two walks and one hit with a strikeout.

In his first career start, Feb. 17 at Little Rock, Kunz pitched only an inning-plus and was saddled with the loss. All three of the outs he recorded were via the strikeout, but he was charged with seven runs — the first three via a three-run home run — after giving up two hits, walking two batters and hitting four.

Kunz tossed four shutout, no-hit innings in his second start of the season March 5 in the series finale at Utah Tech, then added 4 2/3 innings of two-run baseball March 12 at Western Kentucky. He turned in his longest start of the season April 24 against St. Thomas, allowing one run over six innings in which he matched his season high of six strikeouts, then notched his first collegiate victory after tossing five innings with five strikeouts May 6 at Purdue.

Kunz previously played tight end for three seasons (2018-2020) for the Jackrabbit football team, seeing action in 34 games. He tallied 32 receptions for 528 yards (16.5 ypr) with six touchdowns, the last of which was a 14-yarder against Delaware in the Football Championship Subdivision national semifinals against Delaware in the spring of 2021 as SDSU advanced to the FCS title game for the first time in program history.

GRUNZKE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: The 2023 season marks one final trip around the bases for Jackrabbit assistant coach Brian Grunzke, who announced he will retire at the conclusion of the current campaign.

Grunzke has coached at South Dakota State since 2012, serving under head coaches Dave Schrage and Rob Bishop, and has coached collegiately for 40 years. He has served as the team's third-base coach and recruiting coordinator throughout his tenure.

Overall, Grunzke has been a part of 269 victoies with the Jackrabbits and helped guide the team to a Summit League tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2013.

Grunzke served as head coach at Waldorf College (Iowa) for 16 seasons from 1990-2005, compiling a 388-344-1 record in leading the Warriors to eight appearances in the NJCAA Region 11 finals. He also served coaching stints at Arkansas-Little Rock, Northern Iowa and Illinois-Springfield.

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.

Through six-plus seasons with the Jackrabbits, Bishop holds a 133-167 record at SDSU, including an 83-71 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.

Overall, Bishop holds a 682-489-1 record (.582 winning percentage) as a collegiate head coach. He earned his 600th career victory in the Jackrabbits' 8-6 victory at Little Rock on March 10, 2019.

Individually, Jackrabbit players have been honored as all-Summit League performers 25 times during Bishop's tenure, including eight all-league selections in 2019. Utility player Nick Smith was honored for the third consecutive season, while shortstop Gus Steiger and starting pitcher Tyler Olmstead were repeat selections in 2019.

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. 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.

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 2022 SDSU baseball roster features 37 players from nine different states and one Canadian province. Of the 37 players, 12 are from Minnesota, six are from both South Dakota and Iowa, and five hail from Nebraska. Two players are from Montana and North Dakota, while Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin and Ontario are represented by one player each.

By class, eight are seniors and even are juniors, while the sophomore and freshman classes are each made up of 11 players.

UP NEXT: The Jackrabbits are scheduled to close out the regular season with a three-game Summit League series May 18-20 at North Dakota State. The first two games of the series are slated for 6:30 p.m. starts at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota. The May 20 series finale is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

Newman Outdoor Field also will be the site of the 2023 Summit League Baseball Championship May 24-27.

-GoJacks.com-