ARLINGTON, Texas — The South Dakota softball team took to the field against the hosts of the Boerner Invitational Saturday afternoon, UT Arlington. The Yotes got back in the win column in Game 2 with an offensive explosion for 15 runs on 14 hits with two home runs.
 
GAME 1: UT Arlington 8, South Dakota 7
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Madi McDonnell (3-1)
Loss: Madison Evans (2-6)
 
UT Arlington got a couple early runners in scoring position in the first inning but a huge strike out from Campbell German in the circle helped get the Yotes out of the jam unscathed.
 
Three hits in the top of the second for the Coyotes saw the bats come alive in the second frame. An RBI double from Camryn Kersten gave South Dakota the 1-0 lead. A wild pitch would double the lead, before fielding mishaps from the Mavericks quickly made it 4-0.
 
UT Arlington got on the board with a designed play with runners on first and third as South Dakota recorded the out at second, making it 4-1 through three innings of play.
 
The fourth inning saw the Mavericks continue to chip away at the deficit. UTA picked up their second run of the day to cut the lead in half. The Mavericks would load up the bases with one away and they would take full advantage. UTA plated seven runs in the frame to take the 8-4 lead.
 
The Yotes struck for three runs in the sixth to start a comeback rally, highlighted by a Kiya Johnson home run – her first this season. However, ultimately, the Yote rally would be one run short as the Mavericks take the first game, 8-7.
 
German threw for one inning in her start. Madison Evans took over in the circle in the second inning and threw three innings, giving up just one earned run of the runs allowed. Aubrey Lensmeyer entered the circle in the fifth inning.
 
 
GAME 2: South Dakota 15, UT Arlington 7 (F/6)
 
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Peyton Paulsen (1-4)
Loss: Maddie Furniss (0-4)
 
Game 2 saw South Dakota erupt for season-highs in hits (14), home runs (2), and runs scored (15) as the bats came alive to pick up their first run-rule win of the campaign.
 
Sara Iburg goes yard in the second inning with a three-run shot down the right field line to give South Dakota the early lead in Game 2 of the day.
 
The bats stayed hot into the third inning. Three hits plate a pair of runs for the Yotes to extend their lead to 5-0 with runners on the corner with just one away in the frame. Autumn Iversen would find a way to put the ball in play, driving in a run on a fielder's choice (6-0 USD).
 
The Mavericks would score five unanswered runs of their own in the third and fourth innings to cut into the early Coyote lead. After four complete, the Yotes held onto a 6-5 advantage.
 
South Dakota would get a couple insurance runs in the fifth inning, thanks to an RBI single from Camryn Kersten as USD extended their lead to 8-5.
 
In the sixth inning, South Dakota would load the bases with no outs, looking to push more runs across. A double to deep center field from Delaney White would add two more runs to the lead, making it 10-5 USD. The run party continued with back-to-back RBI singles from Kiya Johnson and Brooke Carey.
 
Camryn Kersten would open the flood gates with her first career home run to open the lead up to 15-5, forcing a UT Arlington pitching change.
 
Peyton Paulsen picks up her first win in the circle (1-4), throwing all six frames. Five of her seven runs allowed were unearned as she struck out two and did not allow a walk in the outing.
 
Up Next: South Dakota concludes the Boerner Classic tomorrow with a single game against Wichita State. First pitch is slated for 9 a.m. from Arlington.