BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State picked up two victories over South Dakota on Sunday, with the last game of a doubleheader ending in walk-off fashion, in Summit League softball at Jerald T. Moriarty Field. The Jackrabbits earned 8-5 and 4-3 wins over the Coyotes, helping SDSU Athletics clinch a point in the Interstate Series, presented by First Interstate Bank.
Game One
South Dakota State out-slugged South Dakota on its way to an 8-5 victory to begin the day.
Both teams scored a run in the third before the Jackrabbits took the lead for good in the fourth. Abby Gentry hit a three-run double to put SDSU ahead, 4-1, then she drew a bases loaded walk in the fifth to give the Jacks a 5-1 advantage heading to the sixth.
Starting pitcher Madi Mangulis was solid in her opening five innings of work. She allowed just two hits and one unearned run as she kept the Coyotes at bay.
South Dakota struck back in the sixth. The Yotes’ first four batters of the frame reached base as a two-run double cut their deficit to 5-4. That brought sophomore Hailey Herman in for relief with the tying run on second base.
Herman hit the first batter she faced and eventually was in a jam featuring runners on second and third with no out. The Jackrabbit pitcher forced a ground out and two consecutive infield pop outs to get of the inning unscathed.
A two-run single by Mia Jarecki and another bases-loaded walk drawn by Gentry gave SDSU some extra insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Herman gave up a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, but was able to close out her first save of the season in the Jackrabbit victory.
Mangulis wound up pitching five-plus innings. She allowed three earned runs on five hits while striking out four batters. Mangulis improved to 5-3 on the season.
Gentry, Emma Vike and Emma Christensen each recorded three hits for the Jacks. Gentry drove in a career-high five runs. Jarecki had two RBIs.
Game Two
Madi Conklin hit a walk-off single to close out series win for South Dakota State as the Jackrabbits defeated the Coyotes, 4-3.
An RBI double by Gentry and RBI single by Vike had SDSU up 2-0 following the first inning. The Jacks were then held to one hit over their next four innings at the plate.
Sylvia Shromoff got the start in the circle for SDSU and had a strong opening two innings. She didn’t allow a hit to the USD lineup until the third. Shromoff nearly got out of the frame without giving up a run, but a lost fly ball in the sun allowed for the Coyotes to come away with a two-run double to tie the score at 2-2.
Both teams scored a run in the sixth. After South Dakota went ahead 3-2 in the top of the inning on an RBI double, SDSU came up and got a lead-off single from Brooke Dumont. She was pinch ran for by Quinn Marnocha who sat on first through two straight outs. Senior Alli Boyle came up and hit a single to right-center field. A misplay on the ball hopping in the outfield allowed Marnocha to hustle around the bases and make it all the way to home to score to tie the game at 3-3.
Freshman pitcher Tayler Baker continued her strong relief appearance in the seventh for South Dakota State. She pitched a 1-2-3 inning to give the Jackrabbits a chance to complete a victory before extra frames.
Following an inning-opening out, Alivya Bollen came up to pinch hit and beat out a single. Cece Hanson came on to run for her with one out. Jarecki followed with a single to put runners on first and second as the Jackrabbits turned to Conklin for a pinch-hitting opportunity.
Conklin made it to a full count and struck a hard-hit single through the left side of the infield. Hanson never slowed down as she rounded third base and headed home. The throw from the left fielder bounced in at the plate to the catcher, but Hanson slid around the tag and got a piece of home before the tag and was called safe on the play.
The walk-off winner was South Dakota State’s first in just over a year. The last one happened at the end of March last season when Conklin hit a walk-off home run versus North Dakota in a 2-1 victory.
Baker earned the victory in the circle for the Jackrabbits. She pitched four innings and allowed one run on four hits. Baker struck out three batters, and walked one, while improving to 5-4 overall. Jarecki and Dumont had two hits apiece.
NOTES
- The Jackrabbits are now 20-18 overall on the season and are now 5-1 in Summit League play. The Coyotes fell to 21-16 and 4-5 in conference action.
- SDSU has now won 12 of the last 14 meetings against South Dakota. The Jackrabbits have won seven straight series over the Coyotes in their all-time series.
- The softball series win gave SDSU another point in the Interstate Series, presented by First Interstate Bank, against South Dakota. The Jackrabbits hold a 12.5-3.5 advantage in the series.
UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits travel for their next Summit League series. SDSU will take on St. Thomas in St. Paul from April 12-13.