Softball Falls Twice in Kansas City

Tuesday, March 31

Kansas City, Mo.

1:00 PM

South Dakota State University

Kansas City

3/31/2015 8:22:00 PM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Down 5-0 in the opener at Kansas City, South Dakota State scored seven unanswered runs, but the host Kangaroos scored three in the bottom of the eighth inning to walk off with an 8-7 win. The 'Roos then scored four unanswered runs of their own in the nightcap to down the Jackrabbits 4-2 to complete the sweep.

The losses drop the Jackrabbits to 8-14, while UMKC improves to 21-17.

The Jacks started the Game 1 comeback with a Lauren Chirnside two-run home run in the top of the third, and then added single runs in both the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

An Alyssa D'Agostino RBI double in the fifth cut the lead to 5-3, and then Kaycee Miller RBI cut it to 5-4 when she reached on an error, but knocked in Jessica Markanich, who tripled to open the frame. The Jacks then tied the game at 5-5 in the seventh on a Jordyn Sturgeon RBI single that sent the game into extra innings.

SDSU took its first lead of the game in the top of the eighth on a Devan Larsen two-RBI double, but the Kangaroos answered with three runs in the bottom half, and walked off with the 8-7 win.

The Jacks scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning in Game 2, the first on an Larsen sacrifice fly and the second on a D'Agostino RBI single, but the 'Roos came back with one run in the bottom half of the inning, and took the lead for good in the third at 3-1, adding an insurance run in the fifth.

D'Agostino led the Jackrabbits with a 4 for 6 day at the plate, including a double and a pair of RBI. Christian McKone went 3 for 8 on the day, with all three hits coming in a 3 for 4 effort in Game 2. Larsen went just 1 for 6 on the day, but led the Jacks with three RBI.

Ashlyn Bender went the distance in Game 1, giving up eight runs, four earned, with one each in walks and strikeouts.

Bryanna Clark pitched all six inning in Game 2, giving up four runs, two earned, with three strikeouts and one walk.

SDSU gets right back to action on Wednesday, when the Jacks make the short trip to Marshall, Minn., to take on Southwest Minnesota State in a doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m.