VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota softball travels to Omaha, Nebraska this weekend for a three-game series with the Summit League leading Mavericks of Omaha. The Yotes return to Summit League play for the first time since April 6 and went 3-1 last week against nonconference foes Drake and Morningside.
 
The Schedule at Omaha
Friday @ 2 & 4:00 p.m.
Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE YOTES

• The Coyotes hold a 24-17 record and are 4-5 in Summit League play. The Yotes enter this weekend's series with a 14-12 record in true road games.
• The Coyotes lead the Summit League in a number categories including batting average (.308), hits (343), triples (11) and shutouts (10).
• The Yotes rank No. 3 in the conference in runs (205), No. 3 in on-base percentage (.379), No. 3 in doubles (58) and No. 3 strikeouts (234).
• Tatum Villotta leads the Summit League in hits (61) and batting average (.430).
  • Villotta has hit 33 of 41 games this season and has 17 multi-hit games.
  • Villotta tallied her 200^th career hit as a Coyote in the series against South Dakota State.
  • Villotta also leads the Yotes with four triples on the season, has 13 extra-base hits and is tied for second with 20 RBIs.
• Delaney White follows Villotta with a .405 batting average and has a team high 10 doubles. White is the Yotes leader with 27 RBIs.
  • After tallying multiple hits in two games against UND, and one last week against the Tommies, White has 17 multi-hit games on the season.
  • In the series against North Dakota on March 22-23, White went 5-for-6 from the plate against the Fighting Hawks and had four RBIs.
• McKenna Young has earned a pair of Summit League Peak Pitcher of the Week honors this season and carries the second lowest ERA in the Summit League (1.99).
  • Young is No. 2 in the conference and No. 40 in the NCAA with 120 strikeouts on the season.
  • She carries an 11-6 overall record in 23 appearances and 17 starts with seven complete games and four shutouts.
  • Young has tossed a pair of shutouts in each of her last two outings against Drake and Morningside with 12 strikeouts and nine hits in 12.0 innings of work.
• Clara Edwards has started in the pitcher's circle in 20 of her 22 appearances and has an 11-8 record in 129.2 innings of work.
  • Edwards has tossed a conference leading 12 complete games, which ranks No. 36 in the NCAA, and has struck out 67 batters.
  • Edwards also holds a .264 batting average with two home runs and 19 Rbis.
  • In her complete game shutout of Norfolk State, Edwards also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI. She followed that with a 4-for-4 game at the plate with four RBIs in the second game of the doubleheader against the Spartans.
• Autumn Iversen is tied for third on the team with 20 RBIs and has a .295 batting average. She has 11 extra base hits with seven doubles, two triples and two home runs.
• Rylie Jones has started every game at shortstop for the Yotes and holds a .341 average at the plate. Jones is 4-for-5 on stolen base attempts and has scored 20 runs.
• Ella McGee is fourth with a .333 hitting percentage with four doubles, three triples and tallied her first inside-the-park home run against the Fighting Hawks.
• McGee earned her first monthly award from the conference, as she was named the Kwik Star Summit League Female Newcomer of the Month for March.
  • Batted .383 during the month of March, including a .429 clip in six Summit tilts
  • Went 5-for-10 and scored seven runs during a series win over North Dakota
  • Registered five multi-hit games and three multi-RBI games during the month
• Following strong performances against the Fighting Hawks, McKenna Young and Ella McGee swept the Kwik Star Summit League Peak Performer of the Week honors a week ago.
  • McGee collected the first weekly honor of her career. Posted a .500 batting average across three games against UND.
  • Scored two or more runs in all three games against the Fighting Hawks. Extended her hit streak to nine games.
  • Young captured her second career weekly accolade. She earned a pair of a complete-game victories in the series win over North Dakota.
  • Threw 12.0 innings in two starts while posting a 0.58 ERA with 16 strikeouts. Allowed just one earned run and seven hits.
  • It's the second time this season that the Yotes have swept the Summit League weekly awards as Clara Edwards and Tatum Villotta were named the Peak Performers of the Week on March 3.
• South Dakota was picked to finish third in the Summit League Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office.
• The Coyotes finished fifth in the Summit League a season ago with a 7-10 conference record and a 23-30 mark on the season.
• USD returns a trio of All-Summit League selections from a season ago in Tatum Villotta (second team), Clara Edwards (HM) and Delaney White (HM).
• Villotta and Edwards were named as USD's players to watch in the conference preseason poll.
• Villotta was one of three Yotes to start in all 53 games a season ago, splitting time in both middle infield positions. She tallied a team-high 54 hits, 23 runs and a team best 10 game hitting streak during the season. Villotta had 12 multi-hit games in 2024 and has 39 multi-hit games in her career.
• Edwards made 28 starts in 29 appearances as the No. 1 pitcher in 2024 and recorded an 8-13 record, 2.76 ERA, and 121 strikeouts in 157.1 innings pitched. Edwards struck out a career-high 13 batters in a complete game shutout, one of five shutouts she had on the season, in a win over Abilene Christian.
• McKenna Young begins her sophomore season after pitching 79.0 innings in her freshman campaign, making 27 appearances and nine starts. She tallied 75 strikeouts and held opponents to a team-low .246 batting average.
• Rounding out the pitching staff is freshmen Madison Evans and Campbell German. Evans was named the South Dakota Gatorade Players of the Year last year after leading Sioux Falls Lincoln to a state title, while German was a three-time First Team All-State selection in Iowa.
• The combination of Villotta, White and Rylie Jones in the infield combined to start all but three games in 2024.
• White was tied for second on the squad in 2024 with 45 hits, second with eight doubles and drove in the second most runs (23) while holding a .278 batting average. White led the team with 13 multi-hit games and had five games with multiple RBIs.

 
ABOUT OMAHA

• The Mavericks enter the weekend series with a 29-9 overall record and a 9-3 mark in Summit League play.
• Omaha has won eight straight, including back-to-back series Summit League sweeps over North Daktoa State and Kansas City.
• The Mavs ace in the circle is Maddia Groff who holds a 16-4 record on the season and a 1.49 ERA. Groff has made 20 starts in 25 appearances with 11 complete games and four shutouts. She's struck out 177 batters in 127.0 innings and holds opposing bats to a .179 batting average.
• Alexis Wiggins has 12 starts in 20 appearances with a 3.37 ERA and is 7-5 on the year.
• Sydney Thomason carries a team leading .357 batting average and has 11 home runs, which leads the conference. Thomason ranks No. 2 in the Summit League with 39 RBIs and is No. 3 with 11 doubles.
• The Mavs have four other players with five or more home runs and five with 20 or more RBIs.
• The Omaha pitching staff has a league leading 2.49 combined ERA and 269 strikeouts.