TULSA, Okla. - May 21 - Southern Utah baseball scored nine runs during
the middle innings and then added two more in the bottom of the eighth
to post an 11-8 victory over South Dakota State on Thursday afternoon
in the opening round of the Summit League baseball tournament. The win
moves the Thunderbirds to the next round where SUU will face the winner
of the Oral Roberts-Centenary game that will take place later on
tonight.
South Dakota State opened the game with a run in the top of the second and two runs in the top of the third to take an early 3-0 lead. SUU began to chip away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Chester Wilson. The big fly brought the gap to within one, 3-2, as the teams moved to the fifth inning.
The Jackrabbits began the frame with three runs, including a two-run triple by SDSU's Billy Stitz, scoring men on first and second. Southern Utah made a pitching change as James Crockett took to the hill and went on to throw the next 3.1 innings, allowing only two runs on three hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Over that same time, SUU erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth and two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 9-6 lead.
Southern Utah went through its line-up during the fifth as Colby Ford led off the inning with a single. Following a fly ball to center field, the T-Birds ripped off three more singles, scoring one run and then loading the bases. Wilson recorded his third RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases juiced, followed by a two-run single by Derek Pena during the next at bat. SUU punctuated its scoring in the fifth with an RBI double off the bat of Keli'i Zablan.
Southern Utah nearly went through its entire order again in the sixth as Ford led off that frame with a double. He later scored on an RBI walk drawn by Bucky Aona with the bases loaded. Another run crossed the plate during the next at bat as Wilson tallied his fourth RBI after drawing a second consecutive walk.
South Dakota State inched to within one run in the top of the eighth inning, scoring two runs to trim the lead to 9-8. However, SUU made the most of the bases loaded during the bottom of the eighth to score two runs and preserve the victory.
Thunderbird batters took to the plate on five consecutive at bats during the frame with the bases juiced, but it was Zablan's RBI after being hit by a pitch and an RBI walk drawn by Garrett Messerly that scored the runs.
Crockett earned the victory for Southern Utah, coming on in relief to push his season record to 3-3. SUU senior Ray Wright came in during the top of the ninth inning, inducing two fly balls and collecting one strikeout to record his second save of the season. SDSU starter Mike Robinson threw five innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits with three walks and three strikeouts in the losing effort.
Southern Utah will now await the winner of tonight's Oral Roberts-Centenary game with the winner advancing to play the Thunderbirds on Friday afternoon. First pitch of SUU's second round game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
