EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.—Jordyn Pender went 6-for-6, Aleesia Sainz hit her Summit League-leading eighth home run and South Dakota split a doubleheader at SIU-Edwardsville Wednesday. The visiting Coyotes won the first game 7-5 while the Cougars took the nightcap 2-0.
 
Sainz's solo home run in the fifth inning of the opener tied the game at 5-5 and Courtney Wilson delivered a two-out, two-run double in the top of the sixth for South Dakota's go-ahead runs. Pender, meanwhile, went 4-for-4 in game one with two doubles and a run scored. It was her first collegiate four-hit game and the second by a Coyote this season.
 
Kynlee Marquez pitched four innings of relief to pick up the win in the circle. Outside of hitting the first batter she faced in the foot, she was near flawless. Marquez allowed one run on two hits – both singles – and struck out one. Clara Edwards got the final three outs in the seventh to earn her third save of the season.
 
Another positive note for South Dakota was the return of left fielder Rylee Nicholson who missed the prior five games. Nicholson belted a two-run double in her first plate appearance back that ignited a three-run third inning that put the Coyotes ahead 3-1.
 
SIUE junior pitcher Lexi King dominated game two. She made her fourth appearance in the circle this season and tossed her first collegiate shutout. King also batted lead off for the Cougars, singled and scored in the first inning and doubled to help SIUE extend its lead to 2-0 in the fifth.
 
King allowed six hits. Three of them came consecutively with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. But King got pinch hitter Macy Schroedermeier to ground out to short to leave them loaded. King issued no walks and struck out two.
 
Pender was 2-for-2 in game two. She singled in the second, but was later thrown out at the plate trying to even the score on a base hit to center from Bela Goerke. Gabby Moser doubled with two outs in the seventh to bring the tying run to the plate, but Gabbi Holbert's line shot was delivered straight to the shortstop for the final out.
 
The result moves South Dakota to 14-8 which is one win more than the team finished with last season. The Coyotes' spring break trip moves to Lawrence, Kansas, Friday where the team is set to compete in a tournament hosted by Kansas. USD faces Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. Friday followed by Kansas at 3 p.m.