FARGO, N.D. – South Dakota State hit a single-game record six home runs, including three by sophomore Amanda Vacanti, but it wasn’t enough in a 13-12 defeat at North Dakota State on Thursday.
The Jackrabbits began the game with back-to-back singles by Emma Vike and Abby Gentry. They were plated on a three-run home run by Akayla Barnard. The very next pitch saw Vacanti drill a solo home run, marking back-to-back homers for the Jackrabbits to give the visiting side a 4-0 edge.
The Bison scored a run apiece in each of the first three innings to cut the score to 4-3. Vacanti hit her second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot, in the top of the fifth. She was followed by Bria Riebel who crushed a homer, to make it another set of back-to-back home runs for SDSU, and give the Jackrabbits a 7-3 lead heading to the bottom of the fifth.
North Dakota State tied the score in the frame thanks to four runs in the fifth. The Bison took advantage of SDSU miscues in the field. SDSU starter Madi Mangulis saw her day in the end following the fifth inning despite allowing two earned runs.
South Dakota State scored another four runs in the top of the sixth. An Alli Boyle single, followed by walks drawn by Gentry and Barnard, set Vacanti up with the bases loaded. SDSU’s designated player drove a two-out pitch over the left-field fence to give the Jacks an 11-7 lead.
NDSU scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth. After a quiet top of the seventh, the Bison tied the score at 12-12 in the bottom of the frame, but SDSU got out of a bases-loaded threat with a strikeout as the game went into extra innings.
A one-out home run off the bat of Barnard gave the Jackrabbits a 13-12 edge in the top of the eighth. It wouldn’t be enough as an infield error got the bottom of the eighth started for the Bison. A double down the left-field line tied the score at 13-13. NDSU eventually had runners at second and third with no outs and used a suicide squeeze bunt, that was successful, to put an end to a walk-off victory.
South Dakota State recorded 15 hits in the ballgame. Vacanti and Boyle recorded three hits each for the Jackrabbits, while Barnard and Emma Christensen had two apiece. Barnard scored a team-high four runs followed by Vacanti (3) and Gentry (2). Two Jacks in Vacanti (7) and Barnard (4) made up for 11 of SDSU’s 12 RBIs. SDSU pitcher Tayler Baker pitched two innings in relief for the Jackrabbits and was credited with the loss.
South Dakota State dropped to 23-30 (5-10 Summit League) on the season. North Dakota State improved to 25-22 (9-7).
NOTES
- South Dakota State hit six home runs combined in the Thursday meeting against North Dakota State. The six home runs are a new program single-game record breaking five different games in which SDSU had hit five.
- Vacanti’s three home runs are the most by a Jackrabbit since 2011. She is now tied for the program record for home runs in a single game with Ashley Durazo who hit three in a game at NDSU in April of 2011.
- Her seven RBIs also tied a program record. Vacanti’s teammate Kendall Daniel registered seven RBIs in a game at Northern Colorado in March. The record was previously held by Rozelyn Carrillo who set it with seven RBIs in a game in 2022.
- Barnard tied a program record for runs scored in a single game. Her four runs were the most by a Jackrabbit since Peyton Daugherty did it in April of 2021. The feat has been previously achieved 10 times.
- SDSU had an 18-game winning streak over NDSU snapped on Thursday. The Jackrabbits now have a 65-76 all-time record against the Bison.
UP NEXT
South Dakota State continues its three-game series at North Dakota State on Friday. The Jackrabbits and Bison square off in Fargo at 3 p.m. at Tharaldson Park.