VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota softball earned a series win in its Summit League opening weekend with a 10-2 run-rule win over North Dakota Sunday at Nygaard Field.
 
On a chilly and windy day in Vermillion, the Coyotes scored double-digit runs for the third time this season with 10 on 10 hits.
 
Delaney White paved the way at the plate for the yotes, as the USD cleanup hitter went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and one run. Autumn Iversen and Brooke Carey each went 1-for-2 and had a pair of RBIs. Both of Sara Iburg's hits were extra base knocks with a double and a triple. Iburg also scored three runs and drove in one.
 
For the second time in as many days, McKenna Young tossed a complete game in the circle for the Yotes. Young went 5.0 innings while allowing just one earned run and struck out four. In total, Young pitched 12.0 innings with 16 strikeouts and just the one earned run this weekend against the Fighting Hawks.
 
While the Fighting Hawks found the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the first, it was the Coyotes who built a sizeable lead early with a five-run second inning. Iburg's first extra base hit of the day brought in Iversen to tie the game at 1-1. With two outs in the inning, the Yotes took advantage of a UND error on a Villotta ball in play that scored the second run of the frame. An Ella McGee RBI double, followed by a two RBI single from White extended the Coyote lead to 5-1.
 
After giving up a run in the first, Young held the Hawks scoreless across the second and third frames with four punchouts. The Coyote bats came through with two outs once again in third, this time off the bat of Tahjzha Botts who drove in Iburg with a single to right field.
 
North Dakota scratched across a run in the top of the fourth, but the Yotes answered with four more in the bottom half of the frame. Following two straight singles to kick off the inning, Madison Evans moved both runners to scoring position with a SAC bunt, which would pay off in the next at-bat as Iversen drove in both runners with a single to right field. Carey drove in the ninth and 10^th runs of the day with her third hit and USD held a 10-2 lead heading into the top of the fifth.
 
The Hawks found a runner in scoring position, but Young closed out the 10-2 win by forcing an infield pop-up.
 
The Yotes continue Summit League play at home next weekend when they host St. Thomas for a three-game series. Game one against the Tommies is set for noon on Saturday at Nygaard Field.