NDSU Baseball Rolls Past Oral Roberts to Open Summit League Play

TULSA, Okla. – The North Dakota State baseball team took both ends of a doubleheader to open up Summit League play after topping Oral Roberts, 9-8, in game one and, 3-0, in game two on Saturday afternoon at Chapman Park.

In game one, the Bison (4-13, 2-0 Summit) held off the Golden Eagles (11-6, 0-2 Summit), 9-8, to begin Summit League play. Kyle Law sparked NDSU with a three-run home run in the first inning to make the score 4-0. Davis Hamilton followed it up in the third with his first home run of the season to push the lead to 5-0.

NDSU then scored five more runs over the next three frames, including three in the fifth to increase the lead to 9-0 with an RBI single off the bat of Dante Smith. Oral Roberts answered with three runs in the bottom half with a three-run home run from Will Edmunson to make the score 9-3. The Golden Eagles kept the pressure on scoring three more runs to cut the deficit to 9-6 after a two-run single from Martell Davis in the sixth inning. Wailele Kane-Yates then added a pair of home runs in the seventh inning and ninth inning to trim the edge to 9-8, but the Bison held on for the 9-8 victory.

The Bison totaled a season-best 14 hits with nine different players contributing at least one. Law led the way going 3-of-5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs.

Nolan Johnson (1-3) made the start and worked four scoreless frames with a season-high eight strikeouts over 5.2 innings. Danny Lachenmayer earned his first career save with one strikeout over the final 2.0 innings.

In game two, Logan Knight tossed his first career complete game shutout to help the Bison earn a 3-0 win over Oral Roberts. Knight (1-3) tossed a season-best seven strikeouts across a career-high 9.0 innings with no walks for his first career complete game and shutout. It marked the first complete game shutout in a nine-inning game for a Bison pitcher since Cade Feeney accomplished the feat against Western Illinois on April 9, 2021.

Both teams battled through four scoreless innings until Alex Urlaub connected on an RBI single to right center in the fifth inning. Smith finished out the frame with another RBI single to stretch the lead to 2-0. Smith added insurance in the seventh with another RBI single to increase the lead to 3-0. Knight then sent the Golden Eagles down in order in back-to-back innings to seal the 3-0 win.

The Bison notched six hits as a team with Smith going 2-of-5 at the plate with two RBI.

NDSU will conclude its three-game series at Oral Roberts tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.