GAME TWO

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8, SAM HOUSTON 1

HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston State baseball’s five-game winning streak came to an end Saturday night as South Dakota State knocked off the Bearkats 8-1 in the Hillcrest Ford Baseball Classic.

Caleb Thielbar held Sam Houston to one run on nine hits in his eight innings of work, striking out four Bearkats for his first pitching victory of the season. South Dakota State up its record to 3-9.

Brent Powers was the losing pitcher for Sam Houston State as the Kats fell to 8-4 for the year.

The Bearkats’ troubles started in the first inning as, with two outs, pitcher Brent Powers appeared to have picked off Billy Stitz at first base to end the inning. But the centerfielder who got on base on a bunt single was called safe.

On the next pitch, Stitz stole second, then the Jackrabbits loaded the bases on a walk and a hit batsman. Nick Adams singled to score Stitz and Craig Parry and put South Dakota State up 2-0.

Keith Stein tripled in the bottom of the first, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Bobby Verbick to get back one run.

The Jackrabbits added a third run in the second inning as Max Fenske doubled then scored on a triple by Korby Mintken.

South Dakota State added two unearned runs in the fifth inning on a single by Fenske after an infield error to go up 5-1.Sam Houston threatened in the bottom of the fifth as Seth Hammock singled and Jaime Rohlmeier doubled, but the Kats could not get the runners across home plate.

Mintken led off the sixth inning with a solo home run over the right field fence to extend the lead to 6-1. The Jacks added a seventh run in the eighth inning and another in the ninth.