Coyote softball takes a three-game win streak and a 4-1 record into this week's Furman Classic held at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to the host team, South Dakota will play twice against a Georgetown team that didn't take the field last year and twice against an NCAA tournament qualifier in Saint Francis.
 
The forecast is calling for highs in the high 50s and low 60s, but with some sun. USD will face Furman for the first time and Georgetown for the first time since a 12-4 win in 2020. The Coyotes beat Saint Francis 3-1 in Florida back in 2013 in the team's only meeting.
 
South Dakota blanked 25^th-ranked Wichita State 3-0 last time out. Freshman pitcher Clara Edwards tossed a five-hit shutout and pitched 19 1/3 innings in all on opening weekend without allowing an earned run. Senior Grace Garcia earned three starts and was 2-0 in the circle with a 4.31 ERA in 13 innings.
 
Offensively, 12 different Coyotes saw a chance in the starting lineup. Sophomore catcher Bela Goerke hit three home runs and drove in 10 in her Coyote debut while junior third baseman Aleesia Sainz was 4-for-10 with five walks, a home run and six RBIs. South Dakota hit six home runs and scored 29 runs in five games in Texas.
 
The schedule and a deeper dive into the three opponents follow:
 
Tournament Schedule (all times eastern)
 
Friday
11:30 a.m. – USD vs. Georgetown
4:30 p.m. – USD vs. Furman | Live Stats
 
Saturday
11:30 a.m. – USD vs. Saint Francis
2 p.m. – USD vs. Georgetown
 
Sunday
9 a.m. – USD vs. Saint Francis | Live Stats
 
Georgetown (1-4, did not compete in 2021, picked 9^th of 9 in the Big East)
The Hoyas are happy to return to the diamond for the first time since the pandemic. They were the only Big East team to opt out of last season and the roster has flipped a bit since their last showing. The pitching staff is new and it includes Julia Parker, a sophomore from New Jersey, who made her collegiate debut and earned three starting assignments for Georgetown last week. Parker was 1-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 18 innings. Freshman Kayla Dunn (6.30 ERA, 12 K, 10 IP) took the other two starts. Saint Louis University transfer Alyssa Chavez was 7-for-15 with two home runs and five RBIs in her Georgetown debut last week. Veteran shortstop Savannah Jones was 6-for-15 with a double and a home run as the Hoyas went 1-4 against solid competition in Conway, South Carolina.
 
Furman (2-2, 19-28 in 2021, picked 6^th of 7 in the SoCon)
Furman's opening weekend included a 3-0 shutout of North Dakota in the season opener. Sierra Tufts tossed a six-hit shutout in that one and is one of three pitchers back for the Paladins. Tufts was 9-14 last year with a 3.86 ERA in a team-high 125 innings. Bailey Tanner was 6-6 with a 3.77 ERA in 91 innings. Junior Riley Ludlam hit .302 last year with five home runs and 29 RBIs and earned second-team all-conference as a designated player. Sophomore outfielder Ashlee Lykins had four hits on opening weekend after batting .219 with 12 stolen bases a year ago. The Paladins hit .219 (21-for-96) at home last weekend with seven extra base hits – all doubles.
 
Saint Francis (3-2, 40-10 in 2021, picked 1^st of 8 in the NEC)
The Red Flash are trying to become the first NEC program to win five consecutive NEC Tournament titles and they bring back all five all-conference performers in their quest to do so. The headliner is 2021 Pitcher of the Year and Tournament MVP Grace Vesco, a first-team NFCA All-Region honoree. Vesco was 22-4 with a 1.00 ERA last year. She struck out 196 in 167 innings. Her partner in crime was Rachel Marsden, a fellow junior who was 14-5 with a 1.62 ERA in 133 innings. Marsden picked up where she left off on opening weekend (she also hit three home runs), but Vesco had trouble with control and was saddled with a pair of close losses to top-120 programs Elon and Appalachian State. Third baseman Mekenzie Saban (.452 BA, 4 HRs, 20 2Bs, 19 SB in 2021) is a weapon atop the Red Flash lineup.