Softball Splits Home Opener with Omaha

Friday, April 3

Jackrabbit SB Stadium

12:00 PM

South Dakota State University

Omaha

4/3/2015 8:03:00 PM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

South Dakota State smacked three home runs in Friday's home opener against Omaha, including a grand slam from Devan Larson, but came up on the short end of a 13-7 game, only to bounce back with a 9-6 nail biter in Game 2.

The Jackrabbits end the day with an 11-15 overall record and a 2-3 mark in The Summit League, while the Mavericks enter Saturday's rubber game with a 17-18 overall record and a 5-3 mark in league play.

Omaha opened the day with three runs in the first inning, and then added two more in the third to take a 5-0 lead before the Jacks got on the board in the bottom of the third on a KayCee Miller solo home run, her first of two on the day.

The Mavericks scored the next seven runs though, two in the fourth and five in the fifth to go up 12-1, but Larson cut into the lead with a grand slam home run over the fence in right center field to cut the lead to 12-5.

Omaha would get one back in the sixth, as would the Jacks on an Alyssa D'Agostino shot, and then added one more in the seventh, but the rally came up short.

SDSU opened the scoring in Game 2, plating an unearned run in the first to take a 1-0 lead, a lead that held until the Mavs matched it with one run in the top of the third that tied the game at 1-1 entering the bottom of the third inning.

The Jacks used four hits and capitalized on a pair of Maverick miscues to score four runs. After Lauren Chirnside opened the inning with an infield hit, Larsen reached on an error that send Chirdside to third. Two batters later, D'Agostino singled home Chirnside, followed by a Jessica Markanich ground out that scored Larson to put SDSU up 3-1.

That brought up Jordyn Sturgeon, who singled home D'Agostino, which brought up Miller, who doubled home D'Agostino to give the Jacks a 5-1 lead after three innings.

Omaha got two back on the top of the fifth, but Miller answered with her second longball of the day, a two run shot to left center field to put the Jacks on top 7-3.

The Jacks added two more in the bottom of the sixth on a D'Agostino two RBI double, and held off a late UNO rally in the seventh to secure the win.

Both Miller and D'Agostino finished the day with three hits and four RBI, while Larsen went 2 for 7 at the plate with five RBI.

Ashlyn Bender took the loss in the opener, with Bryana Clark earning the win in Game 2, tossing a complete game with four walks and a career-high eight strikeouts.

The Jacks and Mavs play the final game in the series on Saturday at 11 a.m.