VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota (21-28, 6-10 Summit) defeated North Dakota State (17-35, 4-13 Summit) in both games on day one of the three-game series in Vermillion.
 
USD 4, NDSU 0
Clara Edwards threw the shutout for the Yotes in seven innings to tally her eighth win of the season.
 
Alecea Mendoza sent one out of the park in the third inning to record her second home run of the season and give the Yotes a 2-0 lead. South Dakota added one more run to its tally in the fourth inning and finished the game with a 4-0 win over the Bison.
 
USD 5, NDSU 1
The Yotes took the momentum from game one and brought it into game two, defeating the Bison 5-1. McKenna Young took a turn in the pitcher's circle for South Dakota and threw seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched.
 
South Dakota took an early 2-0 in the bottom of the first off a Delaney White singled that brought in Tatum Villotta and Alecea Mendoza. It was a scoreless affair for both sides until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Yotes put two more on the board to take a 4-0 lead.
 
The Bison scored their lone run of the day in the top of the seventh inning but couldn't capitalize on the momentum and the Yotes won 5-1 to wrap up the day.
 
The Coyotes and Bison face off for the final game of the series at 11 a.m. Saturday. South Dakota will be honoring their seniors after the game.