What began as the Furman Tournament is down to a Furman series, but that's just fine for the South Dakota softball team as the Coyotes look to return to the field this weekend for the first time in nearly two weeks.
 
USD and Furman are meeting for the first time for a four-game series slated to run Friday thru Sunday at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina. Here's a look at the schedule:
 
Game 1: Friday at 6 p.m. (EST)
Games 2-3: Saturday at 3 p.m. (EST)
Game 4: Sunday at 11 a.m. (EST)
*Should rain postpone Friday's game, the teams will play a doubleheader Sunday
 
Games 1 and 3 are scheduled to appear on ESPN+, which is accessible with a subscription. Live stats are available for all four games.
 
Furman of the Southern Conference is 2-5 on the young season following a win against South Carolina State Wednesday. The Paladines were 7-19 when play was halted a year ago. Furman is just three years removed from a 41-win campaign and a third-place finish at the Southern Conference Tournament.
 
South Dakota went 1-5 at a season-opening tournament in Louisiana and four of those games were against the host, Southeastern Louisiana. The trip was not kind in more ways than one, but a look to see where the team stands two weeks later is paramount.
 
Top hitters Natalie Morgan and Riley Ludlam are back for Furman. The duo combined for eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 26 games last season. Freshman Claire Ginder is 5-for-14 (.357) with a pair of home runs in seven games this season.
 
Redshirt freshman Makayla Tsagalis was the top USD hitter down in Louisiana. She was 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles and three RBIs in four starts. Lauren Wobken, who moved from third base to second base, hit .381 (8-for-21) with five RBIs. Shortstop Lauren Eamiguel enters with a .316 average.
 
Both teams are trying to build a pitching staff. Freshmen Sierra Tufts and Shelby Basso have joined junior returner Bailey Tanner for Furman. Tanner was 4-7 with a 4.15 ERA a year ago. Senior Sarah Lisko pitched all but eight innings for USD in week one, but started just two of those six games. Before Lisko's two starts in games five and six, Coyote starters had failed reach the third inning.