Jackrabbit nine drop two games to finish opening weekend 0-3

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ST. LOUIS – Ben Troike provided the early offense and Andy Fisher pitched four scoreless innings to help lead Illinois to a 5-2 victory over South Dakota State in college baseball action Sunday at the Billiken Sports Center.

Illinois was playing its season opener while the Jackrabbits fell to 0-3 in concluding their opening weekend.

After Zac Taylor was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs in the second inning, Troike lined a Korey Kuhlmann pitch to right field for a long single that cleared the bases to give the Fighting Illini an early 3-0 lead.

SDSU drew to within 3-2 in the fourth inning with a clutch two-out hit of its own.

Skyler Wenninger reached on an infield single and Newt Johnson walked to set up Landon Badger, who doubled down the left-field line to score both runners.

The Jackrabbits threatened again in the fifth, knocking out Illinois starter Ty Weber.

However, Sean Leland came on to record the final out of the frame and then gave way to Fisher, who allowed only one hit and one walk to go along with four strikeouts en route to the save.

Illinois added single runs against the SDSU bullpen on a solo home run by Doran Turchin to lead off the sixth inning and a squeeze bunt in the ninth.

Troike led Illinois’ seven-hit attack by going 2-for-4.

Tony Kjolsing was 2-for-3 with a walk as SDSU finished with six hits.

Kuhlmann struck out four and did not walk a batter in his Jackrabbit debut, which lasted 5 1/3 innings.

Brett Mogen added 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out two.

Notes: Illinois leads the all-time series, 3-0. …The two programs had not played each other since 1975. …Kjolsing was the only Jackrabbit to hit safely in all three games of the opening weekend, going 4-for-9 (.444 average) with a home run. …Kjolsing has now reached base safely in 17 consecutive games dating back to last season. …Badger hit .400 (4-for-10) during the weekend.

UP NEXT: The Jackrabbits are scheduled to travel to Nacogdoches, Texas, for four games hosted by Stephen F. Austin Friday through Sunday (Feb. 25). SDSU opens play with two games Friday, facing Bradley at 11 a.m. and Southern Mississippi at 3 p.m.

ILLINOIS 5, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 2

Illinois 030 001 001  –  5  7  1

SDSU 000 200 100  –  2  6  0

Ty Weber, Sean Leland (5), Andy Fisher (6) and Jeff Korte; Korey Khulmann, Brett Mogen (6), Derek Feige (9), Quinn Reimers (9) and Kolton Michalski, Derek Hackman (8). W – Leland (1-0). L – Kuhlmann. Sv – Fisher (1).  2B: SDSU, Nick Smith (1), Landon Badger (1). HR: UI, Doran Turchin (1).

Saturday

 Austin Peay 9, SDSU 3

SAUGET, Ill. – Austin Peay scored six times in the top of the seventh inning and added a pair of runs in the eighth to defeat South Dakota State 9-3 Saturday at GSC Credit Union Ballpark.

The game was delayed by weather and later moved.

SDSU’s scheduled game against Illinois on Saturday was canceled.

The Jackrabbits carried a 2-1 lead into the late innings behind a strong debut from right-hander Brady Moxham.

A sophomore from Oakville, Manitoba, Moxham struck out eight and walked only one over five innings.

The lone run Moxham allowed came in the third inning, when Garrett Giovannelli singled, stole second and scored on Andrew Flaherty’s base hit to right center.

SDSU grabbed a 1-0 lead as Tony Kjolsing hit a solo home run to left two batters into the game.

The Jackrabbits regained the lead at 2-1 in the home half of the fifth.

Josh Falk led off the frame with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and later scored on the lone Austin Peay error of the game.

Austin Peay sent 11 batters to the plate against three different Jackrabbit relievers in the fateful seventh inning.

The Governors managed only two hits in the inning and were aided by an error and five walks.

The two eighth-inning runs for the Governors both scored on groundouts after Nick Walker and Giovannelli opened the inning with consecutive singles.

Walker and Giovannelli each collected two of Austin Peay’s nine hits.

The Jackrabbits’ final run of the game came in the home half of the seventh as pinch hitter Anthony Schneider plated Landon Badger with a sacrifice fly.

SDSU managed only three hits against three different Austin Peay pitchers, including starter Jacques Pucheu, who struck out nine over 5 1/3 innings.

Otis Roby took the loss in his Jackrabbit debut.

After pitching a scoreless sixth inning, Roby ran into trouble in the seventh, although only one of the four runs he allowed was earned.

Notes: Austin Peay leads the all-time series, 4-1, including a 2-0 mark this season. … Mitchell Oehme pitched a scoreless ninth inning in his Jackrabbit debut. … SDSU batters struck out a total of 14 times in the game. … Nick Smith had his streak of games reaching base safely end at 17. … Kjolsing reached base for the 16th consecutive game.

AUSTIN PEAY 9, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 3

Austin Peay 001 000 620  –  9  9  1

SDSU 100 010 100  –  3  3  2

Jacques Pucheu, Greg Leban (6), Harley Gollert (7) and David Martinez; Brady Moxham, Otis Roby (6), Alex Marro (7), Bryce Johnson (7), Mitchell Oehme (9) and Ian Cote, Derek Hackman (8). W – Leban (1-0). L – Roby. 2B: AP, Garrett Kueber. HR: SDSU, Tony Kjolsin (1).

Photo from www.gojacks.com.