VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota center fielder Camille Fowler had five hits to lead the Coyotes to a doubleheader split with North Dakota Friday at Nygaard Field. USD won the opener 4-3 before UND countered with a 9-5 win in the nightcap.
 
Fowler's lead-off triple to left set the tone for what was South Dakota's first home games in nearly two years. It also moved the super senior into fifth place on the Coyotes' all-time hit list with 225. She ended the day with 229, nine back of Katie Dinning (2012-15) for fourth place.
 
Fowler's ninth collegiate triple sparked a three-run first inning for South Dakota (6-25, 1-1 Summit). Makayla Tsagalis and Dylan Underwood had RBIs in the frame. Courtney Wilson also tripled and scored on a Tsagalis single in the fifth that made it 4-1.
 
The rest was left to senior pitcher Sarah Lisko and she delivered. She was flawless through two, gave up a double and a run in the third and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. A 4-6-3 double play got her through the fifth and she stranded two in the sixth.
 
North Dakota shortstop Jacelyn Kirk led off the seventh with a base hit and that set the table for the top of the Hawks' lineup. Lisko got Alexys Campos to ground into a fielders choice for the first out, but Chevelle Sartin singled as did pinch hitter Katie Bierstedt that made it 4-2. An RBI groundout made it 4-3, but Lisko struck out Ashlynn Uvila looking to secure the win.
 
Lisko (4-10) had three strikeouts while scattering 10 hits. Jannay Jones (4-7) took the loss for North Dakota. Jones allowed four runs – two earned – with one strikeout in six innings.
 
Sartin and Bierstedt hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning of game two, but Lauren Wobken countered for South Dakota with a two-run double that tied the game at 2-2.
 
It stayed that way until the fourth when UND catcher Cassie Castenada drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a groundball from Caitlyn Shumaker. The Hawks (11-20, 3-3) broke it open with four more runs in the fifth. A Castenada two-run double was the catalyst.
 
South Dakota had two runs in and runners on the corners with no one out in the bottom of the sixth, Hawks pitcher Nikki Pica got Jordyn Pender to line out to Sartin at second and she flipped quickly to first to complete a double play. It effectively ended the Coyotes' final threat.
 
Pica (1-6) got all but the final out to earn her first win of the season. Gill Woodward (0-3) started game two for South Dakota and rebounded after the rough greeting in the first inning to pitch into the fifth.
 
North Dakota left fielder Madi Moore, who came to UND as a pitcher last season, but has earned a spot on the offensive side, was 5-for-6 during the twin bill including a two-run homer in the final inning. The Hawks used a strong wind to left to hit three home runs on the day after entering with six all season.
 
These two teams will do it again with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.