After winning the first two games of a Summit League baseball series after jumping out to to early leads, Oral Roberts followed the same recipe Sunday afternoon to complete a sweep of South Dakota State, 10-2, at Erv Huether Field.
The league-leading Golden Eagles improved to 23-14 overall and 14-1 against Summit foes. SDSU dropped to 12-24 overall and 6-9 in league play.
ORU plated the first run of the game in the top of the second inning, then broke the game open with a six-run third. Cooper Kelly opened the second inning with a double, moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a groundout off the bat of Ethan Fender.
The Golden Eagle uprising in the third inning began with a double by Hudson Ellis, who later scored on a groundout. Wailele Kane-Yates drove in Will Edmunson with a base hit and ORU loaded the bases with back-to-back walks that brought an end to Jackrabbit starter Kaden Rylance’s day on the mound.
ORU scored four more times in the third inning, starting when Cooper Combs greeted SDSU reliever Ty Madison with a single up the middle that scored two. Fender and Ellis added run-scoring singles later in the frame.
SDSU’s runs were scored in back-to-back innings against Golden Eagle left-hander Jackson Farrell. Grant Sorensen walked, moved to second on a base hit by Luke Jones and came across on a sacrifice fly by Nate Wachter after both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch.
In the fifth inning, Luke Wroblewski led off with a single and scored on a triple to left field by Keagen Jirschele.
The Golden Eagles answered with two runs in the seventh inning as once again Ellis started a rally with a walk. He came around to score on a double by Edmunson, with Edmunson scoring the final run of the game on a sacrifice fly.
Jack Hill picked up the win for ORU after retiring all batters he faced after relieving Farrell with one out in the fifth. Golden Eagle hurlers combined for 11 strikeouts in the game.
Tristan Augedahl pitched four solid innings out of the Jackrabbit bullpen, striking out three while allowing three runs — two of which were earned. Dylan Richardson added a pair of scoreless innings in his second outing of the series.
ORU held a 12-5 advantage in hits as four different players notched two hits each. Jones was 2-for-4 to pace the Jackrabbits at the plate.
ON DECK
The Jackrabbits continue their homestand by hosting Briar Cliff in nonconference action Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Erv Huether Field.
NOTES
- Oral Roberts leads the all-time series, 89-23, and has won the last 15 meetings
- SDSU third baseman Nolan Grawe had his 16-game hitting streak come to an end after going 0-for-1 before being ejected in the third inning
- Jones has nine hits in his last five games
- Nic Werk had his career-best streak of 17 games reaching base safely snapped
- Augedahl’s outing was the longest of his career
- Richardson has allowed only one run over his last four appearances, covering eight innings