OMAHA, Neb.—South Dakota pitcher Clara Edwards tossed a four-hit shutout and third baseman Aleesia Sainz went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored to lead the Coyotes to a 3-0 win against North Dakota Saturday at Claussen Stadium.
 
It was the Summit League opener for both teams and the first of a three-game series that will continue Sunday with a 4 p.m. doubleheader.
 
Edwards (7-6) was efficient in throwing her second shutout of the season and 11^th complete game. She struck out five, walked one and spread 11 groundballs around the infield. She gave up a two-foot single in front of the plate, two doubles and had a line drive to short that Tatum Villotta almost snagged in the seventh. North Dakota (3-28, 0-1 Summit) was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
 
Offensively, Sainz walked and scored in the third and singled and came around to score on a wild pitch in the fifth. Bela Goerke laced an RBI single to left that scored Charis Black for the first Coyote run of the day. Jordyn Pender drew a bases-loaded walk that plated Sainz that made it 2-0 in the third. Pender was 1-for-2.
 
Edwards' counterpart Jackie Albrecht allowed just five hits and only one of the three runs she surrendered were earned. She simply didn't get the run support.
 
Albrecht's trouble came with three walks in the third. A leadoff walk to Black started the frame. North Dakota bobbled Villotta's sacrifice bunt that put two on and fielded Courtney Wilson's bunt that made it second and third with one out. A four-pitch walk to Sainz loaded the bases and Goerke hit the first pitch she saw to left for a 1-0 lead. Albrecht fielded a comebacker and threw home for the second out of the inning, but walked Pender to make it 2-0.
 
South Dakota (12-15, 1-0) improved to 10-1 against North Dakota since the Fighting Hawks joined the Summit in 2019. It was the 103^rd game between the two programs.