MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — South Dakota sits one win away from the program's first-ever conference title and trip to the NCAA Tournament after a 3-0 start at the 2026 Summit League Tournament. The Coyotes will once again square off with the top-seed Omaha for a chance to make history on Saturday afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch from Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.
 
GAME #54: South Dakota (19-33-1, 7-11 SL) vs. South Dakota State (36-11, 15-2 SL)
Where: Jane Sage Cowles Stadium (1,000) | Minneapolis, Minn.
When: Saturday, May 9 | 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.
• Wagner has now guided USD to three Summit League championship game appearances (2019, 2025-26).
• South Dakota is 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 28 RBI on the season.
• Abi Brown leads the team with her three runs batted in, driving in at least one run against Kansas City (2) and South Dakota State (1).
• Madison Evans has been the workhorse for the Yotes, making 31 appearances with 28 starts and 19 complete games in the circle with an 14-13 record and 3.90 ERA.
• In the Summit League Tournament, she's been lights out with two starts (3-0 record) in 21.0 IP with just nine hits surrendered, four runs (two earned) allowed, and has struck out 23 batters to hold a 0.67 ERA in those three games.
• With the start and win against SDSU on Friday, Evans now cracked the top-10 and sits T10th in both starts (28) and victories (14) in a single season at South Dakota,
• Her 177.2 innings of work leads the Summit League, while her 178 strike outs continues to sit second in the league.
• Evans' 178 strike outs entering Thursday sits 3rd in a single season in program history, needing seven more to move into second all-time.
• Heading to Minneapolis, Delaney White currently holds the South Dakota career record for best fielding percentage (.995) with all 210 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 222 wins as the head coach of the Yotes.

 
SERIES HISTORY
Omaha leads the all-time series, 107-28, dating back to the first meeting in 1979 as Division II conference opponents.
 
On the season, South Dakota is 2-2 against Omaha. The first win came back in Vermillion on May 1 and the other on Thursday, May 7 at the Summit League Tournament.
 
SCENARIOS
WIN: The Yotes will win their first-ever conference title in program history and, simultaneously, punch their first ticket to the NCAA tournament in program history.
 
LOSS: Force a winner-take-all game at 4 p.m. with the winner earning the program's berth to the NCAA tournament.
 
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.