South Dakota State, the fourth‑seeded team in the Summit League baseball tournament, pulled off a 7‑3 victory over top‑seeded Oral Roberts on Friday night, handing the Golden Eagles their first opening‑round defeat in 25 tournaments.
A Historic Upset in Sioux Falls
Right‑hander Sam Schlecht anchored the Jackrabbits' effort, delivering a career‑high eight strikeouts over 7.1 innings and working into the eighth before being lifted.
The breakthrough came in the sixth inning when the Jackrabbits erupted for four runs, turning a 2‑1 deficit into a 6‑1 lead. Owen Siegert and Luke Luskey each contributed two‑run singles that sparked the rally.
Oral Roberts answered with a two‑run homer from Makani Tanaka, cutting the margin to 7‑3, but the Jackrabbits' bullpen kept the pressure on.
Closer Ty Madison retired the final five batters in order to earn his second save of the season, preserving the upset.
With the win, South Dakota State will meet the victor of the Omaha‑Northern Colorado matchup on Thursday at 6 p.m., while Oral Roberts awaits the loser of the UNO‑UNC game in the consolation bracket.