VERMILLION, S.D. — In a back-and-forth offensive affair on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon from Nygaard Field on Pink Day, the South Dakota Coyotes defeated the fellow canine species, the Drake Bulldogs, 6-5 with a walk-off hit from
Autumn Iversen to conclude the non-conference slate in the victory column.
PITCHING DECISIONS
Win: Aubrey Lensmeyer (2-1)
Loss: Ashlynn Sheets (4-8)
South Dakota responded with at least the same number of runs, if not more, to Drake in three of the four innings Drake scored on the day.
Drake pushed across the first run of the day in the first inning, thanks to an RBI single to shallow right field, being an unearned run in the frame.
It did not take South Dakota long to respond. In the bottom half, following a leadoff double from Iversen,
Kiya Johnson stepped into the box and took the Drake starter deep to center field for her second home run of the season to give USD the 2-1 advantage.
The next two innings would go quietly. Drake would make their first and only pitching change of the afternoon in the second inning. She would enter in the second with the bases loaded and get out of the jam, then go on to retire seven-straight Coyotes as South Dakota held onto the 2-1 lead through three.
The Bulldogs would pull even in the fourth inning with a run of their own. But yet again, the Yotes would respond in the bottom half of the frame. After two quick outs in the inning, Iversen would reach on an error and Johnson would rope her second extra base hit down the left field line. A defensive miscue in the corner would lead to a Coyote run to give them back the lead, 3-2.
Drake would score the next three runs and would take their largest lead of the day in the sixth. Thanks to two runs in the frame, the Bulldogs would take the 5-3 lead to the bottom of the sixth inning.
As was the case all afternoon, USD once again responded to the Drake runs with runs of their own. Small ball and defensive miscues were the highlights of the sixth inning as the Yotes pulled even again at 5-5. With runners at second and third,
Sara Iburg grounded to third base and Drake went home with the ball, but thinking it was a force play, the run would score easily.
Brooke Carey would follow that with an RBI bunt single, a safety squeeze of sorts, as she drove in Iversen to make it a whole new ballgame.
Drake would go down in order in the seventh inning to setup the walk-off opportunity for the Coyotes.
Katie Hofmann started the inning with one out with a pinch hit single up the middle. Following a fly out, Kersten, who reentered to run for Hofmann, would steal second in the middle of Iversen's at-bat. Iversen – who had the hot bat all game – worked a 2-2 count and would deliver the clutch two-out, game-winning RBI single to right field that sliced away from the Bulldog right fielder as South Dakota picked up the first win against the Bulldogs in the first-ever game between the two schools in Vermillion.
Iversen had a big day at the plate to lead the Yotes. Hitting leadoff, she proved to be a spark plug for the Yotes and went 4-for-5 with three hits, a double, and drove in the winning run in the seventh with an RBI single to right field.
Campbell German (ND) earned the start in the circle, her ninth start of the season, and worked 3.2 innings. She allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) and walked a pair of Bulldogs. Taking over in the circle in the fourth inning with two away,
Aubrey Lensmeyer (W, 2-1) picked up her second win of the season in 19
th appearance. She worked 3.1 innings and allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), and walked one.
UP NEXT: Winners now of three of their last four, the Coyotes take the momentum of the last four days back on the road to resume Summit League play against the Roos of Kansas City this weekend, April 24-26. First pitch of the series is slated for 5 p.m. from Kansas City on Friday, April 24.
Stay up to date with all things Coyotes by following South Dakota Athletics on Facebook
/SDCoyotes, X (Twitter)
@SDCoyotes, and Instagram
@sdcoyotes!
#GoYotes
