Jacks split on Friday at Razorback Invite

Friday, February 27

Fayetteville, Ark.

11:15 a.m.

South Dakota State University

Bradley (Ill.)

2/27/2009 1:00:00 AM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ? The South Dakota State softball team opened the Razorback Invitational on Friday morning with a 7-3 loss to Wichita State, but held on to beat Bradley (Ill.) 1-0 in the second game of the day.

Wichita State improved to 6-8 with the win, Bradley fell to 6-4, while the Jackrabbits end the day with a 3-12 record.

Jenna Marston gave up five hits and five runs, three earned, in two innings against the Shockers to take the loss. Pam Nicholson pitched around nine walks to earn the complete game shutout against Bradley.

Wichita State 7, SDSU 3
The Shockers used three hits and one SDSU error to plate four runs in the first inning to take the early lead, and then added a single run in the second an two more in the fourth to go up 7-0 before the Jacks could crack the scoreboard.

SDSU got on the board in the top of the fifth, with a pair of runs on as many hits. Greta Stroh and Krystal Higgerson opened the inning with back-to-back singles to get things going.

Two batters later, both Stroh and Higgerson advanced each advanced two bases on past balls, which allowed Stroh to score and put Higgerson on third with one out.

Nicholson drew a walk and advanced to second to put runners on second and third with one out, but Brittany Postma grounded out to shortstop, which did allow Higgerson to score the Jacks second run, but Nicholson got caught trying to score, ending the threat and the inning.

Down 7-2 to start the seventh and needing a big inning to keep the game going, the Jacks loaded the bases with no outs, but could only manage one run on a Dani Broshar sacrifice fly before the rally ended.

Brooke Postma finished the game 1-for-2 with a run scored and got hit by a pitch. Stroh and Higgerson both finished the 1-for-3 with a run scored. Ashley Durazo did not get a hit, but did draw two walks.

SDSU 1, Bradley (Ill.) 0
The Jacks stranded eight runners, but Bradley left 13 on base as the Jackrabbit defense kept Bradley off the board despite nine walks by SDSU starter Pam Nicholson.

The lone run of the game came in the fifth, when Brittany Postma singled and advanced to second on a Brooke Postma single before advancing to third on an error. Durazo came up next and hit into a fielder's choice. Brittany scored on the play before Brooke got tagged out at second to end the inning.

Bradley threatened to tie the game in the sixth, but Brooke Postma threw out a runner at home for the second out of the inning before the Bradley rally ended with a fly out to centerfield.

Bradley loaded the bases again in the bottom of the seventh, but Nicholson got the final Bradley batter to fly out to centerfield, which ended the game and preserved the Jackrabbit win.

SDSU returns to action at the Razorback Invitational on Saturday, when the take on the host Razorbacks at 3:45 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend against Ball State (Ind.) at 6 p.m.