LAS VEGAS—South Dakota jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but couldn't make the plays defensively to maintain it as UTEP pounced back to pull out a 7-5 win Sunday on the final day of UNLV's Marucci Desert Classic.
 
The Coyotes went 1-4 during the three-day tournament and are 1-10 overall. The team will play five games next week at a tournament hosted by Louisiana Tech in Ruston.
 
South Dakota scored four runs in the top of the first and added another on a Dustie Durham ground out in the third. The Coyotes got four of their six hits in the first three innings.
 
UTEP quickly erased the deficit with six runs in the bottom of the third. Ilena Santos' leadoff home run fueled the rally, and three infield singles and two defensive miscues kept it going. The Coyotes totaled three errors Sunday and have committed 34 in 11 games.
 
Julia Wright, the third UTEP pitcher, entered following Christy Warnock's double to lead off the top of the fourth. Wright worked around the double and allowed one hit in her four innings of work. She struck out six and issued one free pass.
 
In five games in Las Vegas, USD second baseman Alyssa Fernandez reached base 14 times in 20 plate appearances. She hit .538 (7-for-13), had three multi-hit games, drew six walks and was hit by a pitch once. Fernandez leads the Summit in nearly every offensive category thru two weekends and ranks second in the conference in batting average (.448) and RBIs 10. Teammate Emily Winckler leads the Summit with 11 RBIs.