BROOKINGS, S.D. - Daniel Telford's pinch-hit single with two outs in the ninth gave South Dakota State a 4-3 win over North Dakota State in the first of a four-game Summit League baseball series Friday, May 6, at Erv Huether Field.

Eric Cain hit a one-out infield single, moved to second on an infield error, and scored SDSU's third unearned run of the day to give the first-place Jackrabbits (28-12, 14-3) their 25th win in 28 games.

North Dakota State (16-22, 10-6) had the league's best fielding percentage entering the game, but the Bison committed four errors - the second most in a game this year behind their five errors against Bradley on March 17.

Colby Tognetti pitched all 8 2/3 innings for NDSU and dropped to 3-4 with the loss.  Tognetti scattered 12 hits, walked three and struck out one.

SDSU closer Trever Vermeulen (2-2) got two strikeouts in the eighth to preserve a 3-3 tie and retired the Bison in order with three ground balls in the ninth for the win.

NDSU trailed 1-0 after two innings before Wes Satzinger led off the third with his second home run of the year to tie it, but SDSU went back ahead in the bottom of the third when Cain was hit by pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Billy Stitz after a leadoff single.

The Bison answered again in the fourth when Tim Colwell hit a two-out single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Max Casper's single up the middle.

SDSU went up 3-2 in the sixth when Beau Hanowski was hit by a pitch to start the inning, advanced to second on a throwing error, and later scored on Cain's sacrifice fly.

NDSU tied it again in the eighth when Blake Turbak hit a leadoff single, reached second on an outfield throwing error, moved to third on Nick Colwell's sac bunt, and scored on Zach Heidmann's double to right-center that chased SDSU reliever Erik DeJong after 1 1/3 innings.

Turbak was 3-for-4, Heidmann was 2-for-4 with two doubles, Tim Colwell was 2-for-3 with a double, and Tyler Steen was 2-for-5 to lead the Bison, who lost their 10th one-run game of the year.

Zach Rhodes was 3-for-5 and Joel Blake was 2-for-5 to lead SDSU.

The teams are scheduled to play a noon doubleheader Saturday, May 7, and the series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, May 8.