RAPID CITY, S.D. -  After a nearly even first half, the Yellow Jackets stumbled in the second half in a 46-17 setback to South Dakota Mines Saturday night in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The Yellow Jackets entered halftime down 22-17 but the Hardrockers stalled the Yellow Jacket offense and ran 24 points up against the defense as the Green and Gold drop their first game of the season to fall to 3-1 overall, with the same record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

South Dakota Mines, who improves to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the loop, went ahead 8-0 in the early minutes of the first quarter when Jake Sullivan hit Isaiah Manley for an eight-yard pass then converted the two-point conversion.

The Yellow Jackets answered back on the very next series when Ryan Hommel hit Shandon Jones for a 36-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 8-7.

To make it three-straight series' with a touchdown, Sullivan scampered nine yards into the end zone and the 15-7 lead.

Closing the high-scoring first quarter, Trey Fleming hit a 31-yard field goal and the 15-10 score. With 10:30 to go in the second quarter, Sullivan scored his second rushing touchdown of the game with a 10-yard run.

Again on the very next series, the Yellow Jackets answered back, this time a 15-yard rushing touchdown on the feet of Payten Gilmore to pull the Yellow Jackets within five points at 22-17 with 9:11 remaining in the second quarter.

The two squads would play scoreless football the remainder of the half.

The Hardrockers scored a 57-yard touchdown from Dorian Cowart on their first drive of the third quarter. South Dakota Mines kept the points coming before closing the game with a Sullivan 11-yard rush for the final 46-17 tally.

South Dakota Mines totaled 681 yards of offense with 369 through the air from Sullivan and 135 on the ground from Cowart. The Yellow Jackets countered with 415 yards as Hommel was 17-of-47 for 278 yards while Phydell Paris notched his 100-yard rushing, totaling 116 yards on the ground.

Shandon Jones totaled five receptions for 102 yards while Erick Hairston Belcher had four receptions for 55 yards.

Drew Hebel, the nations leader in interceptions, snagged his fifth interception of the season while Allen Stubbs snagged his second on the year.

Cody Benne led the team with 10 tackles with 1.5 tackles for a loss. Four others tallied nine tackles including JJ Kilgore, Luis Bach, Travis Groves and Hebel. Bach totaled seven solo tackles on the night.

Davis Jakpor led South Dakota Mines with 13 tackles as Harrison Beemill recorded an interception.

Black Hills State has little time to dwell on the season's first loss as the Yellow Jackets host New Mexico Highlands in a Swarm Day battle on Saturday. Kickoff from Lyle Hare Stadium is tabbed for 1 p.m.