BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota softball fell twice Sunday at JT Moriarty Field to South Dakota State 8-5 in game one and 4-3 in the series finale. The Yotes are now 21-16 on the season and 4-5 in Summit League play.
 
Game 1 – L, 5-8
The Coyotes scored first in the second game of the Interstate Series in the third inning, but the Jacks would answer with five unanswered runs to take a commanding 5-1 lead through five.
 
While the Jacks scored eight runs across the third to sixth innings, they left runs on the basepaths, as SDSU would leave the bases loaded in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings.


USD fought back in the top of the sixth with three runs to cut the deficit to 5-4 after a Madison Evans RBI single and a two RBI double in the next at-bat from Autumn Iversen. The Jacks, however, got three runs back in the bottom half of the frame with a two-out, two RBI single and three straight walks.
 
Tatum Villotta and Ella McGee led off the seventh with walks and moved over to scoring position on a Delaney White groundout. Evans would bring in one run on a sacrifice fly, but the Jacks would get the final out in the next at-bat to close out the 8-5 win.
 
McKenna Young is tagged with the loss after going 3.1 innings with four strikeouts and four earned runs. Campbell German and Evans each threw 1.1 innings in relief.
 
Game 2 – L, 3-4
The Jacks continued their offensive output in the first inning of the game two, scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame.
 
The Yotes evened the score in the third on a fly ball from Clara Edwards that got lost in the sun resulting in two runs and a double for Edwards.
 
South Dakota looked to break the tie in the fifth, loading the bases after a pair of singles and a walk with one out. However, the Jackrabbits held the Yotes off the board in the inning with back-to-back punchouts.
 
The Yotes and Jacks each scored a run and left a runner on base in the sixth, as the two teams went to the final inning tied at 3-3.
 
After the Coyotes went down in order, the Jacks found the game winning run on second with one out. A single through the left side brought the runner from second home, with the throw and tag being just late from the Yotes, and SDSU walked off a 4-3 win to take the series 2-1.
 
Edwards threw 6.1 innings and had six strikeouts but is tagged with the loss and moves to 11-7 on the season. Villotta, White and Edwards each tallied two hits in the series finale.
 
Up next for the Yotes is a midweek doubleheader in Des Moines against Drake on Wednesday starting at 3:00 p.m.