VERMILLION, S.D.—North Dakota State pitchers Jacquelyn Sertic and KK Leddy turned in equally dominant performances in leading the Bison to a pair of shutout victories Saturday at Nygaard Field. Scores went 1-0 in eight innings and 5-0.
Both pitchers allowed three hits in their complete-game efforts. Sertic (18-7) struck out 12 in outdueling Coyote hurler
Alexis Devers in game one. Leddy (5-6) struck out four and got some help defensively in winning game two.
Devers also pitched a three-hitter. The go-ahead run in the first extra inning of game one was unaided by a hit. Back-to-back walks, a double steal, and a fly ball to right by Zoe Stavrou got the job done. The throw home was there well before the runner, Madyson Camacho, but the tag was high, the slide low, and the run credited.
Stavrou and Camacho provided nearly all the offense Saturday. Combined, they were 6-for-10 with all six RBIs and half the runs scored. Stavrou put the Bison (24-14, 4-2 Summit) ahead 2-0 in the fifth inning of the nightcap with a double down the left field line. She doubled in two more in the sixth that extended the lead to 5-0.
Alyssa Fernandez and
Jessica Rogers had five of the Coyotes' six hits during the twin bill. Fernandez was locked in all day, going 3-for-6 with a walk and having Camacho nab two balls at the warning track in left – one in each game. The second was USD's first at bat of game two that would likely have cleared the fence if not for the glove of Camacho.
The Coyotes (15-31, 5-8) had several opportunities to win game one, but couldn't push a run across. With one out and runners on first and third in the bottom of the sixth, Rogers tried to squeeze in the run from third, but popped her bunt in the air to first base. USD got its first two runners on in the bottom of the eighth with the top of the order due up, but couldn't capitalize then either. Sertic induced an infield popup with the bases loaded to end the game.
Game three is Sunday at 11 a.m. The Coyotes will honor their four seniors in a post-game ceremony.
