SIOUX FALLS — Creighton scored multiple runs in five of the first six innings to distance itself from South Dakota State in a 12-2, seven-inning victory Wednesday night in college baseball action at Sioux Falls Stadium.
The Bluejays improved to 25-12 overall with their fifth consecutive victory. SDSU dropped to 9-27 on the season.
Creighton wasted little time in taking the lead from wire to wire. Tate Gillen led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a base hit by Nolan Sailors. Two batters later, Matt Scherrman doubled into the right-field corner to score two more runs for a 3-0 lead.
Sailors, who was 3-for-4 in the game, hit a two-run home run in the second inning and Kyle Hess added a three-run shot an inning later as the Bluejays pushed their lead to 8-0.
Nolan Grawe put the Jackrabbits on the board with a solo home run in the home half of the third. The home run was the second of the season for the freshman third baseman, who ended the night 2-for-4.
After being held scoreless in the fourth inning, Creighton tacked on two more runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. The fifth-inning runs scored on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly, whileScherrman drove in the sixth-inning runs on his third hit of the game, a two-run home run to right center.
SDSU’s other run of the night came in the seventh inning, when Nic Werk drew a leadoff walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Luskey.
Creighton starter Henry Prindl worked the first four innings, walking one and striking out one while allowing three hits.
Jackrabbit starter Keagen Jirschele took the loss after allowing five runs on four hits in two innings. Four relievers went to the hill for SDSU, with Tristan Augedahl and Jude Sundquist each pitching scoreless frams.
The Bluejays ended up with an 11-6 advantage in hits. Jess Bellows also tallied two hits for SDSU.
UP NEXT
SDSU returns to action at Erv Huether Field with a four-game Summit League series against North Dakota State. Friday’s opener is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch.
NOTES
- Creighton leads the all-time series, 28-8, and has won the last 11 meetings
- SDSU has homered in four consecutive games, marking its longest streak of the season
- The Jackrabbits played a game at Sioux Falls Stadium for the first time since a three-game series against Western Illinois April 19-20, 2019
- Luskey’s RBI was his 50th of the season
- Bryce Ronken returned to the lineup after missing the last seven games due to injury
- Ronken walked and was hit by a pitch to extend his streak of reaching base safely to the last 15 games he has played