VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota dropped its Summit League home game to South Dakota State, 9-0, in a run-rule shortened game at Nygaard Field.

The Coyotes held strong early, keeping the Jackrabbits off the board through the first inning, but SDSU broke through in the second with the help of a pair of wild pitches and a defensive error to take a 2-0 lead.

The Jackrabbits continued to add on in the third with a solo home run and pushed another run across in the fourth to extend the lead to 4-0. South Dakota looked for answers offensively but was unable to string together hits, managing just three on the day. Brooke Carey, Ella McGee, and Sara Iburg each recorded hits for the Coyotes, with McGee also drawing a walk.

In the circle, Aubrey Lensmeyer got the start and worked through three innings, allowing four runs while battling through traffic on the bases. Peyton Paulsen came on in relief and kept things manageable early before SDSU broke the game open in the sixth inning with a five-run frame, highlighted by a home run and multiple RBI hits.

Despite the result, the Coyotes showed flashes defensively and limited further damage late, but were unable to generate momentum offensively against a strong South Dakota State pitching performance. South Dakota will look to bounce back as Summit League play continues.