FARGO, N.D. — South Dakota softball fell 3-0 in both contests Saturday afternoon at Tharaldson Park to North Dakota State. The Coyotes are 24-22 overall and 4-10 in Summit League play this season.
 
Game 1 – L, 3-0
 
It was a pitcher's duel to start the first game between Clara Edwards and the Bison's Savy Williams as the pitcher's put together four straight scoreless innings. Edwards escaped a jam in the third, after the Bison loaded the bases with two outs in the frame, but Edwards would work her way out of it by forcing a groundout to third.
 
The Bison took advantage of a Coyote error and three walks in the fifth, as they scratched across all three of their runs in the frame.
 
With one out in the fifth, back-to-back singles from Brooke Carey and Tatum Villotta put the Yotes in position to cut into the NDSU lead. Williams, however, would force a pair of fielder's choices in the next two at-bats to keep the Yotes off the scoreboard.
 
Campbell German, who entered in relief in the fifth, put the Bison down in order in the sixth to keep the Yotes within three runs.
 
A walk and a single to start the seventh saw Sara Iburg and Madison Evans on base with no outs. The Bison would close out the first game of the twinbill with a fielder's choice, fly out and line out in the next three at-bats.
 
The Yotes outhit the Bison five to three but gave up five walks to NDSU's one and had two errors.
 
Evans went 2-for-3 from the plate and tallied her eighth multi-hit game of the season. Edwards is tagged with the loss after 4.2 innings of work with three unearned runs surrendered.
 
Game 2 – L, 3-0
Game two was nearly identical to game one, as both teams were scoreless through four and a half innings before the Bison put up three runs on four hits in the fifth.
 
Looking to respond in the sixth, the Yotes found runners on first and second with one out after a pair of walks. Evans would ground out to first but move both runners over into prime scoring position. The Bison would escape the inning, and maintain the 3-0 lead, by forcing a fly out to end the top half of the inning.
 
McKenna Young stranded a runner on second in the bottom of the sixth, ending the frame with her fifth strikeout, to keep the Yotes within three runs of the Bison. NDSU's Piper Reed would close out her complete game shutout win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
 
Young threw all 6.0 innings for the Yotes with five punchouts and takes the loss in the circle.
 
The Yotes will look to bounce back tomorrow in the series finale against North Dakota State. First pitch is set for noon at Tharaldson Park.