MADEIRA BEACH, Fla.—Much has been made of South Dakota's offense thru two weeks, but Friday it was defense that carried the Coyotes to shutout wins against Albany and Cornell in the second go-around of the Madeira Beach Invitational that began Friday at R.O.C. Park. Scores were 2-0 and 6-0, respectively.
Albany is the two-time defending America East champions and a 2018 NCAA tournament qualifier who returns nearly everyone, but was completely shut down by South Dakota sophomore
Alexis Devers (3-1). Devers allowed one hit, a two-out single to Alexis Phillips in the third inning, and faced two more than the minimum in tossing her second shutout of the season. She struck out five and walked two. One of the walks was erased with a double play in the first inning.
The Great Danes (0-2) saved 2018 America East Pitcher of the Year Celeste Verdolivo for their second game of the day to face USD and was outdueled by Devers. Verdolivo held the Coyotes to four hits, but three led to two runs in the third.
Ashtyn Blakeman led off with a single, was bunted to second by
Camille Fowler, and scored on a double by
Dustie Durham.
Jessica Rogers followed suit with an RBI single and the damage was done. It was the 100th careeer RBI for Rogers, who is the seventh Coyote to reach that milestone. Verdolivo lost for just the fourth time since the start of last season.
Durham kept the momentum going in game two versus Cornell. She allowed six hits – all singles – and didn't allow a runner to reach third. The Big Red (0-2) were 0-for-4 with a runner on second. Durham retired nine of the final 10 batters she faced to move to 4-2 on the season.
The game remained scoreless until
Jamie Holscher plated two with a single in the fifth. Holscher entered the week with the seventh-most RBIs in the nation and the two Friday moved her tally to 18.
Courtney Wilson led off the sixth with a single and came around to score on a base hit by
Camille Fowler in the sixth that made it 3-0.
Lauren Eamiguel doubled the lead with a three-run homer in the seventh, her second blast of the season.
South Dakota (9-3) has shutout four of its 12 opponents this season and was an out away from a fifth on opening weekend. The Coyotes totaled just three shutouts all last season.
USD returns Saturday to face Purdue (4 p.m. ET) and Drexel (6:30 p.m. ET). Purdue topped South Dakota in Arizona last season. South Dakota beat Drexel 11-8 in extra innings last weekend at R.O.C. Park.
