NDSU Baseball Wins Both Games in SDSU Doubleheader

Bison score seven runs in ninth and 10th to win game one.

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – The North Dakota State University baseball team swept a doubleheader against the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits on Friday, May 18, at Newman Outdoor Field, winning a wild game one, 15-14 in 10 innings, before taking game two, 7-1.

North Dakota State (24-22, 14-13 Summit League) is scheduled to face South Dakota State (16-29, 14-12 Summit League) in the regular season finale Saturday, May 19, at 1 p.m. With a win, the Bison can clinch the three seed in The Summit League Baseball Championship. A loss would give NDSU the four seed.

In the first game, the Bison scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to rally from a 14-8 deficit and tie the game, before winning on Matt Elsenpeter’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Tucker Rohde began NDSU’s ninth-inning comeback with an RBI single through the right side that scored Logan Busch. Jack Simonsen and Bennett Hostetler followed with a pair of RBI singles, prior to Simonsen crossing home plate on a Jackrabbit error for the fourth run of the frame. Hostetler scored the fifth run of the inning on a wild pitch before Jayse McLean drove in Drew Fearing with an RBI single to left field to knot the game, 14-14.

In the 10th, Carter Thompson reached first on an error to lead-off the inning, prior to advancing to third on Rohde’s single to right field. After Simonsen worked a walk to load the bases, Elsenpeter stepped to the plate and hit a single up the middle that allowed Thompson to score, securing the walk-off victory.

Elsenpeter went 3-for-6 at the plate with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBI, while Busch added a trio of hits and scored a pair of runs, leading NDSU.

Freshman reliever Jake Drew (1-0) earned his first collegiate win on the mound after giving up no earned runs on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks in one inning.

Skyler Wenninger compiled two doubles and drove in four runs to pace the Jackrabbits.

SDSU reliever Quinn Reimers (0-1) suffered the loss in game one after surrendering one unearned run on three hits with one walk in 2/3 of an inning.

The Bison jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first six innings of the nightcap and never looked back on their way to the 7-1 victory to complete the twin bill sweep.

Sophomore Nick Emanuel provided the knockout hit for North Dakota State in game two, blasting a bases-clearing three-run double to right field in the bottom of the eighth inning to balloon NDSU’s lead to 7-1.

Emanuel led the Bison in game two, going 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI, while Carter Thompson added a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

Left-handed reliever Parker Harm (2-2) tallied the win for NDSU after throwing five scoreless innings. He only gave up two hits while compiling a career-high 11 strikeouts with just two walks.

Wenninger led SDSU in the second game with a double.

Jackrabbit starter Bryce Johnson (0-4) took the loss after allowing four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks in six innings.