John Andrews

The South Dakota State University baseball team upped its record to 17-15 overall and 8-4 in the North Central Conference by sweeping two doubleheaders in North Dakota last weekend.

On Sunday, SDSU outscored the University of North Dakota 23-3 while taking two games from UND.

In the opening game, the Jacks collected 12 hits, winning the game 11-1. Matt Hanson had three hits while Kerry Jacobson and Ryan Sauter each had two. Chris Studer belted a home run in the fifth inning.

Tom Mousel and Randy Santema combined to hold UND to one run on six hits. Mousel got the win.

In the second game, freshman pitcher Justin Allen went the distance for the Jacks as they won 12-2. After UND took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, State blew the game open by scoring eight runs in the third. Greg Geary had two hits, one of them a home run. Noah Hummel also homered for the Jacks.

On Saturday, the Jacks took two games from North Dakota State University in Fargo.

In the first game, SDSU pitcher Rob Hirrschoff went the distance, giving up only five hits as the Jacks won 1-0. SDSU scored the game’s lone run in the top of the fourth inning.

Hummel singled and reached second on a fielder’s choice. A sacrifice fly advanced him to third and a single by Geary drove him in.

In the second game, SDSU scored six runs in the fourth inning en route to a 7-3 victory.

After NDSU took a 3-1 lead, the Jacks came back to load the bases in the top of the fourth. A hit batsman and a walk drove in two runs for the Jacks. Hummel then smacked a double to drive in two more runs. Kerry Jacobson singled home another run and an NDSU error plated the final run.

Cory Gilbert picked up the win for the Jacks.

The Jacks travel to Aberdeen for a twinbill against Northern State University on Wednesday. They then go to Omaha (Neb.) for two NCC doubleheaders this weekend.