South Dakota State Falls in Summit League Baseball Tourney Opener

BOX SCORE

If top seeded South Dakota State is going to win its first ever Summit League Baseball Tournament, the Jackrabbits are going to have to travel a longer road than expected.

SDSU dropped the tournament opener in Rochester, Michigan, Thursday, losing to Western Illinois 4-2.

The Leathernecks got to Summit League Pitcher of the Year Layne Somsen in the top of the third, loading the bases with no one out.  Western Illinois pushed across a pair of runs, one on a sacrafice fly, the other on a ground out to take a 2-0 lead.

SDSU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth, as Nick Andrews scored on an Aaron Machbitz sacrafice fly to make it 2-1.

A Western Illinois miscue helped the Jacks tie the game in the fifth, as Scott Splett scored on a throwing error by Leathernecks third baseman Tanner Glore.

The Leathernecks capitalized on an SDSU error in the seventh to re-took the lead for good, as two runs scored on shortstop Daniel Marra's throwing error, making it 4-2 Western Illinois.

Somsen went seven innings for the Jacks, allowing two earned runs on eight hits.  He struck out eight and walked two.  WIU finished with 12 hits on the afternoon.

South Dakota State must now win out to capture the double-elimination event.  The Jacks get the Oakland - North Dakota State loser Friday at 2:00pm Central.