FARGO, N.D. (SDSU) — Jake Goble tossed seven shutout innings and Reece Anderson drove in the first three South Dakota State runs for a Jackrabbit squad that earned a return trip to the Summit League Baseball Championship finale with an 8-2 victory over host North Dakota State in an elimination game Friday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field.

SDSU, which recorded its second win over the Bison in the double-elimination tournament, improved to 24-27 overall and will face top-seeded Oral Roberts in the championship tilt at 1 p.m. Saturday. Should the Jackrabbits win that game, the decisive if-necessary game would follow.

In Friday’s game, each team squandered early scoring opportunities – the Jackrabbits left the bases loaded in the first inning against NDSU starter Carson Jacobs, while the Bison stranded two in the second inning.

Anderson came through with a shallow double to left-center with two outs in the top of the fourth to drive in Drew Beazley and Thatcher Kozal with the first two runs of the game. The Jackrabbit centerfielder added a two-out single off NDSU reliever Max Loven to produce an unearned run for a 3-0 lead.

Goble began to find his stride in the third inning, retiring the side in order that frame and striking out the side for the second time in the game in the fourth inning. The sophomore right-hander from Rapid City scattered four hits, walked only one and finished with a career-high seven strikeouts.

The Jackrabbits broke the game open with a five-run top of the seventh in which they hit for the cycle as a team. Ira led off the inning with his 15th home run of the season, a drive that landed well beyond the left-field fence. After back-to-back walks to Nic Nelson and Cade Stuff, Drew Beazley one-hopped the wall in left-center for a two-run double. Beazley scored on a triple to the right-center gap by Jess Bellows, who extended his hitting streak to eight games, with Bellows scoring the final run of the inning on a single by Dagen Schramm.

Ira, Beazley and Anderson each accounted for two of the Jackrabbits’ nine hits.

Alex Clemons relieved Goble to start the eighth and threw one scoreless inning before the Bison were able to avert the shutout with two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Stephen Lund and Calyn Schwabe came up with run-scoring singles for NDSU, which had the bases loaded with two outs before Jackrabbit closer Ryan Bourassa came on to record a strikeout looking to end the game.

Jacobs took the loss for NDSU after working the first 3 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four. Five other Bison hurlers worked in the game.

Jack Steil posted two of NDSU’s six hits.

NOTES

  • The Jackrabbits advanced to the championship round for the first time since 2018
  • SDSU and NDSU finished the season series with four wins apiece
  • The Jackrabbits improved to 8-3 against North Dakota State in Summit League tournament games and 20-24 overall in 13 tournament appearances
  • Bellows reached base safely for the 18th consecutive game and also contributed a pair of sacrifice bunts and two diving catches
  • Ira took over sole possession of 10th place on the SDSU career charts in both hits (218) and home runs (30), breaking ties with Doug Sehr (216 hits from 1991-94) and Ryan Hansen (29 home runs from 2001-04)
  • Beazley moved into a tie for the team lead with 16 doubles for the season and tied Russ Langer (1998-2001) and Matt Johnson (2014-17) for fourth on the Jackrabbit career doubles chart with 50
  • Goble tied Dylan Driessen, who was the winning pitcher in Wednesday’s tournament-opening win over North Dakota State, for the team lead with five victories