JACKS FALTER IN SERIES OPENER

Friday, May 1

Fargo, N.D.

6:30 p.m.

South Dakota State University

16-26, 7-11

North Dakota State

10-26, 6-10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
South Dakota State	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	4
North Dakota State	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	4	X	8	11	1

South Dakota State's Dayton Franke swings at a pitch in a game played against Midland University on April 14, 2026, at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, South Dakota.

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

5/1/2026 9:49:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State scored in each of the first three innings to set the tone in an 8-1 victory over South Dakota State Friday night that marked the start of a three-game Summit League baseball series at Newman Outdoor Field.

The Bison improved to 10-26 overall and pulled into a virtual tie with the Jackrabbits for fourth place in the league standings with a 6-10 record. SDSU dropped to 16-26 overall and 7-11 in The Summit League.

After SDSU left runners stranded at the corners in the opening inning, the Bison cashed in on their first scoring opportunity of the night. Back-to-back one-out singles by Dante Smith and Colten Becker were followed by a walk to Kyle Law to load the bases. Smith later scored on a fielder's choice groundout off the bat of Diego Trujillo.

NDSU added a run in the bottom of the second inning on an infield single by Caleb Corbin that plated Bennett Freiter, then tacked on two more in the third on a two-out, run-scoring base hit by Freiter that was followed by one of SDSU's season-high four errors on the night.

The Jackrabbits tallied what would be their lone run of the night in the top of the fourth, when Dayton Franke ended a long hitless drought with a single through the right side that brought home Luke Luskey.

SDSU starter Sam Schlecht closed his outing with three consecutive scoreless innings as he went on to tie a career high with eight strikeouts. The right-hander allowed eight hits while walking two and hitting a pair of batters.

Schlecht's starting counterpart, Brayden Marks, gave up a run on three hits as he also tossed six innings. He struck out three and walked one. Sheamus Ryan followed with three scoreless innings and added a pair of strikeouts in earning his second save in as many outings against SDSU this season.

The Bison out-hit the Jackrabbits, 11-6, and received two hits from four different players, including Chase Womack, who capped the scoring with a two-run single as part of a four-run eighth inning.

Franke and Nolan Grawe each collected two hits for SDSU.

ON DECK
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

NOTES

SDSU leads the all-time series, 136-90
The season series is tied 2-all and NDSU holds a 46-44 advantage in Summit League regular season games since the two programs joined the conference in 2008
The Jackrabbits dropped to 0-8 in night games this season
Grawe recorded his team-leading 15^th double in the first inning
Grant Sorensen extended his hitting streak to six games with a single to lead off the seventh inning
Carter Taylor had his streak of reaching base safely in 20 consecutive games come to an end after going 0-for-4
Schlecht previously struck out eight batters in a start against Northwestern (Iowa) on April 22, 2025
Schlecht has pitched at least five innings in nine of his 11 starts this season, including each of the last five