John Andrews

The South Dakota State University baseball team now stands at 12-14 overall and 4-4 in the North Central Conference after going 1-3 last weekend against the Augustana Vikings.

The Jacks split the doubleheader played on Sunday at Bob Shelden Field in Brookings. In the first game, the Jacks scored in every inning but the second, en route to a 10-5 victory.

After a shaky start in which SDSU starter Rob Hirschoff gave up five runs in the first inning, he settled down and gave up only two hits the rest of the way. Kerry Jacobson and Ryan Hansen each had two-run home runs.

Offense was the story in the second game, which the Vikings won 15-14.

Each team cranked five home runs. For SDSU, Jacobson, Greg Geary and Ryan Sauter each hit one and Chris Studer hit two. Studer ended up going 5-6 and collecting six RBIs. Jacobson and Matt Hanson each went 4-6, Jacobson with six RBIs as well.

On Saturday, the Vikings swept a doubleheader away from the Jacks at Ronken Field in Sioux Falls.

In the first game, Augustana’s Phil Lang had a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to push the Vikings past the Jacks 7-6.

SDSU took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth, after being down 5-1. The Jacks pounded out 15 hits, two each by Matt Hanson, Noah Hummel, Chris Studer, Brock Schroeder and Kerry Jacobson. Jimmy May went 3-3. Tom Mousel took the loss on the mound for the Jacks.

Augustana then took the second game 6-3.

Kerry Jacobson knocked in all three Jackrabbit runs in the top of the first inning with a three-run home run. Chris Studer hit a double in the third inning for the only other hit the Jacks could muster against Augustana pitcher Owen Hoegh.

Andy Salmela provided the offense for Augie, slamming two-run and three-run home runs off SDSU’s Cory Gilbert.

The Jacks play Briar Cliff College at Bob Shelden Field in Brookings on Wednesday at 1:30.

This weekend, they travel to North Dakota for doubleheaders against North Dakota State on Saturday and the University of North Dakota on Sunday.