WALK-OFF HOMER SINKS JACKS AT SLU

Friday, March 7

Saint Louis, Mo.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

1-8

Saint Louis

6-7

South Dakota State

Saint Louis

Photo by: Chris Board

3/7/2025 10:15:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

ST. LOUIS — Saint Louis outfielder Brenden Stressler hit a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the Billikens to an 8-7 victory over South Dakota State in the opening game of a three-game college baseball series Friday night.

SLU improved to 6-7 overall in winning its home opener. The Jackrabbits dropped to 1-8 overall.

The two squads traded leads throughout the night, with the Jackrabbits twice overcoming multi-run deficits. SLU grabbed the early lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Jackrabbit starter Owen Bishop, who was a late replacement for scheduled starter Arlen Peters, allowed a leadoff single to Max McGwire, but ran into further trouble after retiring the next two hitters. Patrick Mendiola delivered a double to score McGwire and Austin Neuweg followed with a two-run home run.

After leaving runners in scoring position in each of their first two trips to the plate, the Jackrabbits broke through with a three-run top of the third to tie the game. Luke Luskey doubled in Nolan Grawe for the first run, then Davis Carr came through with a two-run, two-out single that plated both Luskey and Bryce Ronken.

SDSU took its first lead of the game an inning later when Nicholas Werk led off with a base hit and later scored on a groundout by Ronken.

The Billikens regained the lead with their second three-run inning of the game in the home half of the fifth. Ethan Sitzman tied the game with a solo home off Jackrabbit reliever Ty Madison and SLU tacked on runs via a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.

Jackrabbit right-hander Dylan Driessen kept SLU off the scoreboard for the next three innings and SDSU countered with a three-run top of the eighth to take a 7-6 lead. Pinch-hitter Dayton Franke and Werk opened the inning with consecutive walks and SDSU loaded the bases with nobody out on a single by Carter Sintek. Pinch-runner Brady Brown scored on an RBI fielders choice by Grawe to pull the Jackrabbits to within a run at 6-5 and Ronken followed with a two-run double that plated both Grawe and Werk.

Driessen retired the first batter he faced in the bottom of the ninth, but hit Riley Iffrig with a pitch to bring an end to his night after recording three strikeouts and walk over four innings. Stressler then greeted Jackrabbit closer Alex Clemons by hitting his fourth home run of the season to end the game.

SLU finished with an 11-10 advantage in hits, including two each by Sitzman and McGwire. Sintek, Luskey and Carr and collected two hits for the Jackrabbits.

Chase Minor, who pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for SLU, was credited with the win. Billiken starter Owen Kelly struck out seven while allowing the first four SDSU runs over 4 1/3 innings.

UP NEXT
The middle game of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Billiken Sports Center.

NOTES

Saint Louis leads the all-time series, 5-4
Grawe extended his hitting streak to six games
Luskey upped his team-best RBI total to nine
Madison struck out the side in order in the bottom of the third
SDSU tallied a leadoff single in each of the first four innings and had the first batter in an inning reach six times (five singles, one walk)

-GoJacks.com-