Friday, May 20
Brookings, S.D.
1:00 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
at
10
South Dakota State
Lucas Kesterson pitched IPFW to a win over SDSU on Friday
Kesterson Wins Finale, 'Dons Miss Postseason
5/20/2011 8:20:45 PM | Baseball
Game 1 | Game 2
Brookings, SD - IPFW senior starter Lucas Kesterson put the final touches on the 2011 season for the IPFW baseball team, winning his final start, as the Mastodons split a doubleheader with South Dakota State at Irv Huether Field on Friday afternoon.
The Jackrabbits won the opener of the twinbill, 10-0 in a run-rule shortened affair, while the 'Dons had to work extras to get a 5-4 victory in the nightcap.
SDSU (35-18, 20-8 SL) exploded for seven runs in the 6th inning of the opener to put the game away. Jackrabbit catcher Zach Briggs blasted his third homer of the season in the game.
IPFW couldn't push a run across vs. South Dakota State starter Blake Treinen. He tossed 7.0 shutout innings to earn his sixth win of the season (6-3). That loss, coupled with a Western Illinois win over North Dakota State in Game 1 of their doubleheader eliminated IPFW from any chance of postseason play.
Mastodon starter Sam Walker gave up eight runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings in the loss.
In Game 2, SDSU took a 2-0 lead after the first before IPFW cracked the scoring column. First baseman A.J. Christensen led off the 2nd inning with his first homer of the season, a blast out to left center.
The Mastodons added two more in the 3rd inning on RBIs from the bats of third baseman Will Faulkner and designated hitter Brett Clark.
The 'Dons kept up the scoring in the 4th inning as freshman shortstop Kristian Gayday plated Cody Galbraith with and RBI infield ground out.
But as they have all series, South Dakota State kept grinding at the plate. Trailing 4-2, the Jacks got single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh to send the game to extra innings.
This time, the 'Dons would hold on. In the top of the eighth inning Faulkner singled and Clark walked to give IPFW two on with one out. The next batter, center fielder Kurt Dudley, would break the tie with an RBI single to center.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kesterson got the first two SDSU batters to ground out, allowed a two-out single to Billy Stitz. Head Coach Bobby Pierce went to his bullpen and called for senior A.J. Risedorph. Risedorph made his final appearance one to remember as he stuck out Joel Blake looking to end the game.
Kesterson captured his first win of the season (1-7). In 7.2 innings, he gave up four runs but only two were earned. Risedorph's save was also his first.
SDSU ace reliever Trever Vermeulen, who blew a save in Game 2 on Thursday, was tagged with the loss. He gave up the 'Dons final run (earned).
With the split, IPFW finishes the 2011 season at 17-34 overall and 12-16 in The Summit League.
~Dons~
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