UNC STEALS SERIES-CLINCHING WIN FROM JACKS

Sunday, March 16

Greeley, Colo.

noon MT/1 p.m. CT

South Dakota State University

2-14, 1-2

Northern Colorado

7-13, 2-1

South Dakota State

UNC

Photo by: Bob Solorio

3/16/2025 4:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GREELEY, Colo. — Northern Colorado scored seven times in the bottom of the ninth inning to steal an 11-10 victory over South Dakota State in the decisive game of a three-game Summit League baseball series Sunday afternoon at Jackson Field.

UNC improved to 7-13 overall and 2-1 in league play. SDSU dropped to 2-13 overall and 1-2 in league play.

The Bears' improbable rally began with a triple by Trey Oblas as his fly ball to the left-center gap fell just out of the reach of an SDSU fielder. Anthony Stellato followed with a run-scoring single, forcing the Jackrabbits to go to the bullpen for the first time in the inning. Jake Bullard greeted reliever Owen Bishop with an RBI double and Carter Monda delivered a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 10-6.

That would be the last out the Jackrabbits would record. After Brett Barber singled to chase Bishop from the games, Kai Wagner's fly ball to center field was lost in the sun, resulting in a two-run double. Jude Sundquist then proceeded to walk each of the next three batters, the last of which forced in a run to make it a one-run game.

The next Jackrabbit pitcher, Brady Hawkins, threw only one pitch — one that hit Oblas to bring in the tying run. Freshman Drew McDowell then became the fifth SDSU hurler of the inning to try to put out the fire, but a wild pitch allowed Jake King to scamper home for the winning run.

SDSU led by eight runs on two different occasions. After Northern Colorado scored the first run of the game — also on a wild pitch — the Jackrabbits reeled off nine consecutive runs the next couple of times through the order. Nolan Grawe followed singles by Bryce Ronken and Luke Luskey with a single up the middle that plated Ronken with the tying run. Luskey and Grawe later scored on a two-out single by Keagen Jirschele.

The Jackrabbits put six more runs on the board in the fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run by Luskey and a two-run triple by Owen Siegert. Luskey, who was 3-for-5 to lead the Jackrabbits' 10-hit effort, scored his third run of the game in the sixth inning on a wild pitch after reaching base on a double.

Duerr, meanwhile, settled into a groove by retiring 12 straight hitters before giving up a run in the top of the fifth. The freshman right-hander struck out four and walked two while giving up two runs on three hits.

Clemons worked the next three innings, allowing single runs in the sixth and eighth innings before coming back out to start the ninth. He struck out three batters.

Jack Tuttle, who pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning, was credited with the win. Bear starter Jake Storey notched six strikeouts over four innings.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits have had their mid-week game at Creighton moved up a day due to inclement weather in the forecast. SDSU is now scheduled to make the trip to downtown Omaha on Tuesday (March 18), with first pitch set for 6 p.m. at Charles Schwab Field.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 41-36
Grawe has hit safely in 12 consecutive games
Sintek extended his hitting streak to nine games
Luskey's home run was his team-leading fourth of the season and the only home run hit by either team in the series
Luskey has reached base in all 15 games this season and 20 games in a row dating back to the 2024 season
Duerr's outing of five innings was the longest by a Jackrabbit starter this season

-GoJacks.com-