MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — It was on everyone's bingo card heading into Day 3 of the Summit League Tournament: No. 4-seed South Dakota against in-state rival and No. 6-seed South Dakota State in the winner's bracket semifinal in Minneapolis.
 
GAME #53: South Dakota (18-33-1, 7-11 SL) vs. South Dakota State (25-32, 5-12 SL)
Where: Jane Sage Cowles Stadium (1,000) | Minneapolis, Minn.
When: Friday, May 8 | 1 p.m. (CT)
Watch: Summit League Network
 
 
GAME NOTES

• The Coyotes have played multiple games under head coach Robert Wagner at the Summit League Tournament in six of the eight league tournaments he has been head coach.
• South Dakota became just the third team, and first non-P4 team, to defeat Omaha more than once in 2026 (Arkansas, Nebraska) with the 1-0 shutout on Thursday.
• The bat of Brooke Carey leads the team in batting average at .345.
• Sara Iburg leads the team with her 27 RBI on the season.
• Delaney White and Abi Brown have both driven in two runs and are hitting .500 (3-for-6) in the two games of the SLT so far.
• Madison Evans has been the workhorse for the Yotes, making 30 appearances with 27 starts and 18 complete games in the circle with an 13-13 record and 4.06 ERA.
• In the Summit League Tournament, she's been lights out with two starts (2-0 record) in 14.0 IP with just seven hits surrendered, four runs (two earned) allowed, and has struck out 14 batters to hold a 1.00 ERA in those two games.
• One more starts for Evans would see her crack the USD single season top-10 list for starts in a season (10^th = 28 starts).
• Her 170.2 innings of work leads the Summit League, while her 169 strike outs continues to sit second in the league.
• Evans' 169 strike outs entering Thursday sits 4th in a single season in program history, needing seven more to move into third all-time.
• Heading to Minneapolis, Delaney White currently holds the South Dakota career record for best fielding percentage (.995) with all 209 of her games played being starts.
• South Dakota has played in four extra-inning games this season and holds a 2-1-1 record in those games.
• Wagner sits second all-time in program history with his 221 wins as the head coach of the Yotes.

 
SERIES HISTORY
South Dakota State leads the all-time series, 97-69 dating back to the first meeting in 1978.
 
South Dakota State took 2-of-3 from the Coyotes to start Summit League back in March (Mar. 20-22).
 
SCENARIOS
WIN: Win and the Yotes remain in the driver's seat and would advance to the 2026 Summit League championship game. South Dakota would then need just one win on Saturday (of two possible chances) to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever in the Division I era.
 
LOSS: If South Dakota were to fall to the school in Brookings on Friday, they would turn around and play at 4 p.m. on Friday against the winner of (1) Omaha and (2) St. Thomas (to be played Thursday night).  
 
For more information, stay tuned to the schedule page of GoYotes.com or championship central on TheSummitLeague.org for the most up-to-date information regarding opponent, game times, and more.