NORFOLK, Va. — The South Dakota softball team (13-5, 0-0 Summit League) opened the month of March with a bang and continued their winning ways out east in Virginia with a pair of shutout wins over Norfolk State (6-6, 0-0 MEAC), now winners of eight-straight games. Tatum Villotta extends her hit streak to 15-straight games.
 
South Dakota now has four shutout wins this season with three of them coming in the last two weekends.
 
Game 1: South Dakota 3, Norfolk State 0
A story as old as the game, it was the top of the Coyote line-up that got on base and it was the middle of the line-up that drove in all three runs as South Dakota picked up a 3-0 win in the first game of the day behind the complete game, three-hit shutout from Clara Edwards in the circle.
 
The first two inning went by quietly with neither team plating any runs, though the Yotes put a runner in scoring position in each of the frames.
 
South Dakota broke the scoreless tie in the third frame, as Villotta's double to left field started the inning and made it 14-straight games with a hit. A sac bunt moved her to third and a Delaney White single down singled down the left field line to make it 1-0 USD.
 
Edwards would continue to dominate in the circle with her finishing with eight strike outs on the day.
 
The Coyotes picked up a pair of insurance runs in the fifth inning, taking full advantage of Spartan defensive miscues. Madison Evans would single up the middle on the first pitch she saw in the at-bat, to make it 3-0 Yotes.
 
Edwards allowed just the three hits on the day and improves to 6-3 on the season. It was her second start in as many weekends that saw her allow no runs in her outing, also doing so against East Texas A&M (Feb. 24).
 
Game 2: South Dakota 7, Norfolk State 0
The reigning Summit League Peak Pitcher of the Week honoree McKenna Young posted a double-digit strikeout game in the second-straight weekend as she fanned 11 Spartans in South Dakota's 7-0 win in game two to extend the win streak up to eight-straight games.
 
South Dakota struck early in game two, scoring three runs in the first two innings to take command of the momentum – and game – early on. An Alyssa Thorson hit-by-pitch would benefit the team as back-to-back hits from White and Edwards. Edwards would drive in both runs with a single to right field, following White's double, as USD jumped out to the 2-0 lead after one.  
 
The second inning saw five Coyote hits and one Norfolk State error would be what led to the run, as USD made it 3-0.
 
South Dakota would plate one run in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings as South Dakota made it eight-straight wins, sweeping NSU with a 7-0 game two victory.
 
Young, following in the footsteps of Edwards in game one, allowed just four hits and no Norfolk State runs, improving to 6-0 on the season for the Coyotes. She has now recorded three double-digit strike out games this season.
 
UP NEXT: The Coyotes conclude the trip to the state of Virginia tomorrow with the third game against Hampton Sunday morning. First pitch is slated for 10:00 a.m. (CT) with USD looking to sweep the weekend.