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University of South Dakota Athletics

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Softball
Aleesia Sainz
Zack Khordaji
6
Winner South Dakota USD 1-0
0
Houston Baptist HBU 0-1
Winner
South Dakota USD
1-0
6
Final
0
Houston Baptist HBU
0-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 6 7 0
Houston Baptist HBU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2

W: Edwards, Clara (1-0) L: Katy Janes (0-1)

8
South Dakota USD 1-1
9
Winner Sam Houston State SHSU 1-0
South Dakota USD
1-1
8
Final
9
Sam Houston State SHSU
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
South Dakota USD 0 3 0 4 0 1 0 8 8 3
Sam Houston State SHSU 0 0 3 1 2 3 X 9 9 0

W: Christine Billmeier (1-0) L: Edwards, Clara (1-1) S: Mika Vento (1)

Game Recap: Softball | | Bryan Boettcher, USD Sports Information

Newcomers shine brightest on opening day

HUNTSVILLE, Texas—New catcher Bela Goerke homered twice and true freshman Clara Edwards tossed a four-hit shutout in her debut to lead South Dakota to a split on the opening day of the Bearkat Classic hosted by Sam Houston State. The Coyotes topped Houston Baptist 6-0 and was clipped late by Sam Houston State 9-8 in the nightcap.
 
Goerke and Jodyn Pender hit back-to-back bombs in the first inning of the season. Goerke's was a 3-run shot and Pender followed suit to hand Edwards a 4-0 lead. That proved plenty for the right hander out of Clay Center, Kansas. Edwards struck out four and allowed just four singles in netting her first collegiate shutout.
 
Goerke's round-tripper came in her first at bat as a Coyote. She is a sophomore who competed at Grand Canyon a season ago.
 
And she wasn't done.
 
After Aleesia Sainz hit a three-run homer in the second inning of game two, Goerke broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth with her second home run of the day. It was a two-run shot and South Dakota tacked on two more runs to take a 7-3 lead. Goerke finished 4-for-8 with five RBIs.
 
The final outs proved tough to come by and Coyote head coach Robert Wagner was forced to turn back to Edwards with the tying run on third in the bottom of the fifth inning. She struck out Elia Hebel looking to get out of the jam, but Sam Houston State had drawn within a run at 7-6.
 
Sainz walked and came around to score on back-to-back wild pitches to move the lead to 8-6 in the sixth. A pair of infield errors to begin the bottom of the sixth were enough for the Bearkats to cross home three times against Edwards, and Mika Vento struck out the side in the top of the seventh to pick up a save. Three Coyote errors led to four unearned runs in the contest.
 
Edwards was saddled with a win and a loss despite allowing no earned runs in 8 1/3 innings of work. Pender was 3-for-8 on the day with three runs scored. Sainz was 2-for-4 with two walks. Grace Garcia was the game two starter and tossed three innings. A three-run homer that snuck over the wall in left was her only blemish.
 
Saturday's slate sees South Dakota take on Dayton at 10 a.m. followed by 25th-ranked Wichita State at 12:15 p.m.

 
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