Tournament ThreeSouth Dakota's softball team (1-9) returns to the Golden State this weekend to compete in UC Davis' Aggie Invitational. Davis sits 8 1/2 hours north of San Diego, where South Dakota competed last weekend. The Coyotes' schedule in Davis includes:
Friday, 10:45 a.m. - New Mexico (5-5)
Friday, 1 p.m. - Iowa State (7-3)
Saturday, 3:15 p.m. - Idaho State (3-7)
Saturday, 5:30 p.m. - UC Davis (3-6)
Sunday, 1:15 p.m. - UC Davis (Originally scheduled for 2:30 p.m.)
All times listed are CST
Finding the Sweet SpotThe good news this week for the Coyotes is that there aren't any nationally-ranked teams or 2015 NCAA Tournament teams on the tournament slate, though that's not to say South Dakota won't be challenged. All four opponents finished with RPIs in the range of 90-140 a year ago. Idaho State is the three-time Big Sky regular season champion and Iowa State is a familiar foe from the Big 12. New Mexico has had some success against a tough schedule up to this point.
The pitching improved last week in San Diego, but South Dakota's offense mustered 10 runs in five games. Three of the opponents were tournament teams a year ago including Kentucky, which didn't allow a hit in a 10-0 shutout. South Dakota hit .198 with five extra-base hits last weekend after pounding seven home runs and batting .281 on opening weekend in Las Vegas.
Sophomore
Brooke Curtis hit .400 with a double,
Yvon Minogue had five hits and
Shelby Keil was 4-for-12 in five games last week in San Diego. No other Coyote recorded more than two hits.
Olivia Huffman had the team's lone home run, which went for her first collegiate hit.
Madison Frain was 1-2 in the circle last week with a 3.05 ERA in 18 innings of work. She earned the win against Texas Tech in the final game last weekend by allowing one earned run over six innings.
Rachel Cue recorded the final three outs and picked up a save. Cue and Frain have combined to start nine of USD's 10 games this season.
The OpponentsNew Mexico (Final 2015 RPI: 129 | 29-25 overall | Picked 4th out of 9 in the Mountain West)
Five of the Lobos' 10 games this season have come against opponents from Power Five conferences including Stanford, who New Mexico beat 8-4 on opening weekend. New Mexico returns seven starters to the lineup and added freshman pitcher Colette Robert, a lefty from Oregon. Robert was roughed up in games against Oregon State and Texas A&M, but has pitched well in her four other appearances. Junior third baseman Jasmine Casados led the team in hitting last season and is batting .400 (12-for-30) with 11 RBIs in 10 games this season. Mariah Rimmer, a three-year starter in centerfield, is hitting .343 with two homers and nine RBIs.
Iowa State (Final 2015 RPI: 112 | 26-28 | Picked 7th out of 7 in the Big 12)
Iowa State went 5-1 at a home tournament to start the season in two games each against IUPUI, Eastern Illinois and North Dakota. The Cyclones split with Ball State, beat Toledo and lost to Houston last weekend in Texas. Seniors Brittany Gomez and Aly Cappaert are all-region performers. Gomez, a centerfielder at the top of the order, has hit .308 with 12 singles, five stolen bases and eight runs scored. Cappaert leads the team with four homers and 14 RBIs while batting .242 (8-for-33) thru 10 games. Freshman pitcher Savannah Sanders from Tennessee is 4-0 in five starts and six appearances with a 2.90 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings.
Idaho State (Final 2015 RPI: 93 | 34-18 | Picked 2nd out of 8 in the Big Sky)
The Bengals return seven starters in a program that has won the last three Big Sky regular season titles. Idaho State lost its first five games of the season before going 3-2 last weekend in Santa Clara. Only five opponents comprise those 10 games including Grand Canyon, who beat the Bengals three times. Left fielder Kacie Burnett, a junior, led the team with a .459 average last year and is hitting a team-high .410 (16-for-39) this year. Alex Portesi, a transfer from Fairleigh Dickinson, is batting .406 (13-for-32) with three doubles. Idaho State has one homer and one triple through 10 games. Sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Ames is 2-4 with an ERA of 3.86 in seven appearances. Sophomore Sophie Slagle (0-2, 6.30 ERA) is the 2015 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year after going 18-8 in the circle last season.
UC Davis (Final 2015 RPI: 140 | 18-31 | Picked 8th out of 8 in the Big West Conference)
This is the second tournament UC Davis has hosted this season. The team went 1-4 last weekend in Las Vegas where they faced Nevada, UNLV, Utah, Oregon State and Weber State. Junior center fielder Brianna Warner bats leadoff and has a .429 average with 12 singles and nine stolen bases in nine games. The rest of the lineup is batting .250 with five doubles and five homers. Senior Leah Munden is an all-Big West performer who was 10-15 in 36 appearances last year with an ERA of 3.30.
