VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota softball saw its season conclude following a pair of losses at the Summit League Tournament Saturday at Nygaard Field. The Coyotes dropped a 5-3 decision to top-seeded South Dakota State and lost 3-1 to second-seeded Omaha.
 
South Dakota led in both games. Jordyn Pender launched her fifth home run of the season to give USD a 1-0 lead on South Dakota State in the second inning. That lead held until the Jacks plated five runs in the bottom of the fourth. A two-out, full-count grand slam by center fielder Jocelyn Carrillo broke a 1-1 tie.
 
Gabby Moser closed the Jacks' lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth with a two-run double. That was the final hit allowed by SDSU pitcher Grace Glanzer who improved to 20-4 on the year. Glanzer allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked one.
 
Glanzer outdueled Coyote senior Grace Garcia, who earned her first Summit League Tournament start. Garcia was perfect through the lineup the first go-around before running into trouble in the fourth. She also allowed just five hits. She struck out four against one walk and one hit batter which fueled the five-run outburst. Garcia pitched her third complete game of the season.
 
Coyote shortstop Lauren Eamiguel gave South Dakota a 1-0 lead on Omaha in the bottom of the first inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Tatum Villotta from third.
 
A ruckus broke out on the final play of the second inning. With Jadyn DeWitte on first base and two outs, Villotta hit a ball to third baseman Jamie White who threw wildly to first, allowing DeWitte to score what appeared to be the second run of the game.
 
But on appeal, first base umpire Mike Smola overturned the call on the field and ruled that the ball hit by Villotta was caught in the air by White, making it the third out of the frame.
 
Coyote coach Robert Wagner argued and drew a warning, DeWitte was ejected by Smola before the first pitch was thrown in the top of the next inning, and Wagner drew an ejection on that news.
 
Omaha tied the game at 1-1 on a Rachel Weber groundout to second in the top of the fourth, and Lexi Burkhardt broke that tie with a two-run single in the sixth.
 
Maverick pitcher Sydney Nuismer took care of the rest. She allowed just four hits, struck out two and walked three. The early run was unearned and she improved to 6-4 on the season.
 
South Dakota finishes with a 28-25 record, a plus-28 turnaround from last season which ranks as one of the best in the nation. Moser hit safely in all three tournament games. Senior shortstop Lauren also totaled three hits to lead the Coyotes.