COMMERCE, Texas – South Dakota softball split a pair of games on Friday during the opening day of the Lion Invitational at Cain Family Field.
 
The Coyotes (5-7) used a five-run bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Tarleton State 5-3 before falling to host Texas A&M Commerce 3-2.
 
SOUTH DAKOTA 5, TARLETON STATE 3
South Dakota erased a 3-0 deficit with the big sixth inning getting five runs on four hits along with a trio of walks as 10 batters came to the plate in the frame.
 
Delaney White had an RBI single, Alexis Lusk a sacrifice fly before Gabby Moser put the Coyotes in front with a two-out, two-run single. Rylie Jones added an RBI infield single to cap the rally.
 
McKenna Young, a freshman, pitched six innings allowing one earned run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Madi Mangulis recorded the final three outs to earn the save.
 
Moser was 2-for-2 with a walk in the win as South Dakota had six hits total.
 
TEXAS A&M COMMERCE 3, SOUTH DAKOTA 2
The host Lions took advantage of two Coyote errors in plating three runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally for the victory.
 
South Dakota took a 2-0 lead on a two-out, two-run single from Rylie Jones in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Texas A&M Commerce rallied in the bottom of the sixth and got a big two-out, two-run single from pinch-hitter Darby Hickey.
 
The Coyotes got a leadoff double from Tatum Villotta in the top of the seventh but couldn't push the tying run across.
 
Clara Edwards suffered the pitching loss, allowing three unearned runs on three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
 
Moser had two of the Coyotes eight hits in the loss.
 
South Dakota faces Abilene Christian at 11:30 a.m. and Texas A&M Commerce at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.