Dave Eggen/Inertia

Box Score

Northwestern (Iowa) NORTHWES 24-18

South Dakota State SDSU 9-26

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Northwestern (Iowa) NORTHWES	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	2
South Dakota State SDSU	4	1	0	11	0	4	X	20	17	0

W: Schlecht, Sam (2-3) L: Aidan Sieperda (1-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | 4/22/2025 7:20:00 PM

JACKRABBITS WIN IN GRAND STYLE OVER NWC

Next Game:

vs. Creighton

4/23/2025 | 6 p.m.

Summit League Network

KJJQ 910 AM

Luke Luskey homered twice in an 11-run fourth inning for a South Dakota State baseball team that broke out the bats in a big way Tuesday afternoon at Erv Huether Field, cruising to a 20-1, seven-inning victory over Northwestern (Iowa).

The Jackrabbits, who improved to 9-26 on the season, set season highs in both runs and hits (17) in the contest. Northwestern dropped to 24-18 overall.

After spotting the Red Raiders a run in the top of the first inning, SDSU quickly countered with four runs in the home half of the opening frame. Owen Siegert doubled in the first two run while Jess Bellows plated the other two runs on a sun-aided triple to center field.

Luskey tallied the first of his career-high eight RBIs in the game on an infield single in the second inning, then drove in seven runs on his two homers in the fourth. He connected on a three-run homer to left field for the first runs of the frame, then capped the outburst with a grand slam to straight-away center field to give him a Summit League-best 14 round-trippers on the season.

In between the Luskey home runs the Jackrabbits added runs on a sacrifice fly by Dayton Franke, back-to-back RBI doubles by Bellows and Davis Carr, as well as a run-scoring infield single by Nolan Grawe. In all, SDSU sent 14 men to the plate in the fourth inning as the Jackrabbits built their lead to 16-1.

Franke closed out the scoring with the Jackrabbits' second grand slam of the game in the bottom of the sixth. It was the freshman first baseman's fourth home run of the season.

SDSU starter Sam Schlecht struck out eight batters in five innings. The senior right-hander surrendered seven hits and did not walk a batter.

Alex Clemons struck out three over two perfect inning to finish up on the mound for the Jackrabbits.

Northwestern strung together three consecutive singles by Grant Rychnovsky, Grant Guidry and Devin Dirkx to load the bases in the top of the first inning before Bryce Click was hit by a pitch to force in what would be the lone run of the game for the Red Raiders. Rychnovsky, Guidry and Dirkx each tallied two of Northwestern's seven hits.

Luskey, Grawe and Bellows each notched three hits for the Jackrabbits, with Grawe going 3-for-3 and scoring four times after also reaching on a hit by pitch. Siegert and Carter Sintek each registered two of SDSU's 17 hits.

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits move down Interstate 29 to Sioux Falls for a Wednesday night matchup against Creighton. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Sioux Falls Stadium (The Birdcage).

NOTES

SDSU has won all eight meetings against Northwestern since the series began in 1991
The Jackrabbits reached the 20-run mark for the first time since a 20-1 victory over Dakota Wesleyan on April 12, 2023, in a game played in Sioux Falls
The Jackrabbits also put up 11 runs in the fourth inning of a 19-11 Jackrabbit victory over Northwestern on April 18, 2023
SDSU hit two grand slams in the same game for the first time in the program's Division I era (since 2005)
Luskey became the first Jackrabbit to hit two home runs in the same inning in the Division I era and recorded his third career two-homer game
Luskey has homered in three consecutive games and has a total of four home runs in that span
Luskey's seven RBIs in an inning bettered the mark of six set by Craig Parry (grand slam, two-run double) in the first-ever game played at the current Erv Huether Field, versus Presentation on April 21, 2008
Bellows' three hits all went for extra bases — two doubles and a triple
Adam Benes singled in his lone official at-bat and is now batting .500 (11-for-22) in home games this season
Schlecht's eight strikeouts are the most by a Jackrabbit pitcher this season
SDSU pitchers did not walk a batter for the second time this season
The Jackrabbits started five true freshmen in the contest, including left fielder Brady Brown making his first collegiate start