CEDAR CITY, Utah - Bo Cuthbertson tripled in two runs and scored on a wild pitch in the seventh inning to lift Southern Utah to a 4-3 win over North Dakota State in the first of a four-game Summit League baseball series Thursday, April 7.

It was the eighth one-run loss of the year for North Dakota State, which dropped to 2-17 overall and 0-1 in The Summit League.  Southern Utah upped its record to 12-14 overall and 1-0 in the league.

Cuthbertson, SUU's leading hitter and an All-Summit League first-teamer last year, went 3-for-4 to lead all players.  Zach Heidmann and Tyler Steen had two hits apiece to lead NDSU.

SUU starter Chris Chung struck out seven and scattered eight hits over 8 1/3 innings and improved to 5-3 with the win.  Nick Newberry struck out two of the three batters he faced for his second save of the year.

NDSU starter Colby Tognetti dropped to 0-3 with the loss.  Tognetti allowed three runs on seven hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

The Bison went ahead in the first when Zach Wentz drew a two-out walk and scored on Heidmann's double to left field.  SUU tied it in the bottom of the first when Cuthbertson hit a two-out single, moved up on a passed ball, and scored on Mitchell Kauweloa's single to center field.

North Dakota State went ahead 2-1 in the second when Steen hit a leadoff double and scored two batters later on Max Casper's single to center field.

Southern Utah left two runners on in the second, third and fourth innings before finally going ahead in the seventh.  Chase Rezac and Marcus Romero hit back-to-back one-out singles and Cuthbertson tripled to right field to put the T-Birds up 3-2.

Wentz started NDSU's eighth with a leadoff single, reached second, moved to third on Heidmann's single to left-center, and came around to score on Heidmann's steal of second base to pull the Bison within 4-3.  Heidmann moved to third with one out, but was stranded there with a ground ball to second base and a swinging strikeout.

NDSU threatened in the ninth when pinch hitter Nic Obey led off with a single, moved up on Casper's sac bunt, and moved to third on Nick Colwell's single.  A passed ball moved Colwell to second with two outs, but Newberry fanned Wentz to end the game.

The Bison and Thunderbirds are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 12 p.m. MT on Friday, April 8, which has been moved to Dixie High School in St. George, Utah, due to forecasted snow.  The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT on Saturday, April 9.