North Dakota State Triumphs Over Kansas in NCAA Elimination Game
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — In an electrifying showdown at the Fayetteville Regional, North Dakota State University (NDSU) emerged victorious against the Kansas Jayhawks, claiming a close 4-3 win on Saturday. This marks NDSU’s third appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.
Colten Becker shined for the Bison, contributing two hits, an RBI, and making a crucial catch in the seventh inning that helped secure the win. The NDSU duo of Logan Knight and Danny Lachenmayer was instrumental on the mound, allowing only five hits throughout the match.
In the first inning, NDSU wasted no time on the scoreboard, generating two runs with two outs. Davis Hamilton advanced from first base on a double complemented by a fielding error. Becker’s timely RBI single quickly put the Bison in the lead.
Fortifying their position, NDSU fell victim to a power play in the fourth inning when Kansas’s Jackson Hauge tied the game at 2-all with his 20th home run, just one shy of the program record. With 70 RBIs, Hauge ranks fourth in school history. However, NDSU responded with determination; designated hitter Blake Timmons reclaimed the lead with an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly from freshman Evan Gustafson to extend the Bison’s advantage to 4-2 in the fifth.
Knight (5-6) pitched 6 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs, while Lachenmayer clinched his ninth save, striking out three. Kansas, with a commendable record of 43-17, finishes its season with the second-highest wins in program history and has not reached regionals since 2014. NDSU now looks ahead to face the loser of the Arkansas-Creighton match in another elimination game on Sunday.
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