The Basics
Games #51-54
Oral Roberts (30-20, 17-9) vs. South Dakota State (16-30, 12-14)
Dates: May 15^th – 17^th | 12:00 PM (DH), 1:00 PM, 1:00 PM
Location: Erv Huether Field (Brookings, South Dakota)
Watch: Summit League Network | LiveStats: StatCrew Stats
 
BROOKINGS, SD. - The Oral Roberts baseball team wraps up the regular season with a four-game set with South Dakota State in Brookings over the weekend.
 
Oral Roberts comes into the weekend with a mid-week loss to Wichita State, but, winning six of their last seven Summit League series.  The last time ORU lost a series was in March 28^th when they were swept in a doubleheader in St. Paul against St. Thomas.  Speaking of the Tommies, ORU enters the weekend trailing them for the top spot in the conference by a game and a half.
 
The Golden Eagles have already locked up the No. 1 seed in eh Summit League Tournament with St. Thomas being ineligible, and the entire field is set.  Northern Colorado was eliminated from conference tournament play after being swept by ORU, allowing South Dakota State, Omaha, and North Dakota State to all lock up spots in the bracket.  Those matchups will be set after the conclusion of the weekend series.
 
Pitching Matchup:  
Thursday Game 1: RHP Easton Teel (5-2, 3.03) vs RHP Arlen Peters (1-3, 9.08)
Thursday Game 2: RHP Nathan Love (6-6, 3.53) vs RHP Drew McDowell (0-3, 20.42)
Friday: TBA vs RHP Caleb Deurr (4-4, 5.96)
Saturday: RHP Brendan Asher (1-2, 5.70) vs RHP Dylan Richey (1-1, 2.91)
 
Inside the Series:
Oral Roberts leads the all-time series with the Jackrabbits 69-21 across the series that began in 2008.  ORU is 7-3 in the last 10 matchups, winning four straight.  The Golden Eagles swept South Dakota State in a doubleheader in Tulsa.  On the road, ORU 22-11 record against SDSU all-time, winning their last two matchups in South Dakota.
 
Quick Hits: 
-            ORU trails St. Thomas for the top spot in the Summit League by 1.5 games heading into Thursday
-            Thursday marks ORU's seventh doubleheader of the season
-            The Golden Eagles have hit seven homers over their last four games
 
 
Scouting the Opponent:
South Dakota State brings a 16-30, 12-14 record into the final weekend of the season but have been playing much better baseball as of late winning seven of their last ten.  Last weekend they took the weekend series over Omaha winning two of three, capping it off with a run-rule win on Sunday.  The Jackrabbits have won their last three Summit League series averaging 8.6 runs per game in that span. 
 
At the plate, it has been Owen Siegert leading the way with a .352 average, blasting five homers and driving in 32 runs.  He is also the team leader, stealing 11 of the team's 37 bags this season, only being caught twice.  Luke Luskey has terrorized opposing pitchers all season, leading the team in homers and RBIs with 14 and 52, respectively, all while batting .336.  He leads the conference in homers, slugging (.691), and OPS (1.092), and is second in the league in RBIs.  As a squad, they bat .269, which ranks 207^th nationally, fifth in the summit, and have hit 38 homers, tied for 215^th in the NCAA.    
 
Right-hander Dylan Richey leads the team in ERA at 2.91 in 21.2 innings, appearing in eight games and starting six.  He will get the ball on Saturday's series finale against the Golden Eagles.  On Thursday, the Jackrabbist will roll out the right-handed duo of Arlen Peters, 1-3 with a 9.08 ERA, and Drew McDowell, who is 0-3 with a 20.43 ERA in just 12.1 innings of work this season.  Friday will feature RHP Caleb Duerr, who sports a 4-4 record and a 5.96 ERA in 48.1 innings.  As a staff, they have an ERA of 7.27, ranking 231^st in the country and fifth in the Summit.
 
In the field the Jackrabbits post a percentage of .964 which is fifth in the Summit and 208^th in the NCAA.  They have committed 58 errors this season which is the third highest total in the Summit ahead of Oral Roberts and Northern Colorado.  To combat that, they've turned 29 double plays tied for third most in the conference trailing the same two teams, Oral Roberts and Northern Colorado. 

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