MINNEAPOLIS (Minn.) (Interstat) — South Dakota State defeated Oral Roberts 9-6 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at the Summit League Baseball Championship. The Jackrabbits improved to 20-31, while the Golden Eagles dropped to 35-23.

Oral Roberts surged to a 6-0 lead in the top of the first, but South Dakota State answered with solo homers from Nolan Grawe and Nate Wachter in the bottom half. The Golden Eagles added a run in the second and two in the fourth, but the Jackrabbits steadily chipped away. Nicholas Werk hit a two-run double in the fifth to put South Dakota State ahead 7-6, then earlier had homered in the second. Werk finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Will Edmunson homered in the sixth for Oral Roberts, his third RBI of the game; he went 3-for-4. Luke Jones had four hits and an RBI for South Dakota State. Ty Madison pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run with two strikeouts. Keagen Jirschele added two hits and an RBI.

The Jackrabbits scored in each of the first six innings and totaled 12 hits. Oral Roberts had 10 hits but could not overcome the early deficit.