FARGO, N.D. — South Dakota softball scored five unanswered in Sunday's series finale to earn a 5-2 win over North Dakota State at Tharaldson Park.
 
North Dakota State struck first in the bottom of the first. After a pair of singles, the Bison brought in both runners with a two-RBI double. However, the duo of Clara Edwards and McKenna Young would hold the Bison scoreless and allowed just two hits over the next six innings.
 
The Yotes threatened early and often but were unable to scratch across runs through the first four innings. South Dakota left nine runners on base through four innings of play, before breaking through for three runs in the fifth to take the lead.
 
Delaney White and Edwards led off the fifth with singles, and both would move over on a Bison wild pitch, which would prove costly in the next at-bat. Rylie Jones laced a single to center field that brought home both runners, and Jones would advance to second on the throw to the plate. The Yotes would have runners on second and third again later in the inning with two outs, and as Ella McGee beat the throw to first on an infield single, USD took the lead with Jones crossing home plate on the play.
 
Young took over in the circle in the fifth and promptly retired the side in order with three strikeouts.
 
USD tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the seventh off a Bison error and a sacrifice fly from Sara Iburg to extend its lead to 5-2. The Bison found one runner in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but Young retired the next two batters with a strikeout and fly out to close out the 5-2 Coyote win.
 
South Dakota returns to Nygaard Field for the final time next weekend when they host Kansas City. Friday's doubleheader starts at noon, while the series finale is slated for Saturday at 11:00 a.m.