Softball Splits Shutouts at Creighton

Wednesday, March 30

Omaha, Neb.

2:00 PM

South Dakota State University

11-21

Creighton

18-10

South Dakota State

Creighton

3/31/2016 9:41:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ryan Sweeter

OMAHA – Freshman Ali Herdliska hit her team-leading ninth and 10th home runs of the season and sophomore Bryana Clark tossed a one-hit shutout in the second game of a doubleheader at Creighton on Wednesday to earn South Dakota State a split, as the Bluejays won the opener 4-0, and the Jackrabbits the nightcap 10-0 in five innings.

SDSU ends the day with a 12-21 overall record, while Creighton finishes the day at 18-11.

The Bluejays broke a scoreless tie in the third inning of Game 1 with a two-run home run, and then added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a two-RBI double its four runs, and left the rest to Micaela Whitney, who pitched the complete game shutout, scattering three hits, with five each in walks and strikeouts to earn the win.

The tables turned in the second game of the day in the second inning, when the Jackrabbits got a leadoff homer from Herdliska for its first run of the day, with an RBI groundout from Julia Andersen and an RBI infield single from Yanney Ponce for a 3-0 Jacks lead.

SDSU added three more in the third, all off the bat of Herdliska, who smacked a three-run blast over the left field fence to boost the Jackrabbit lead to 6-0.

Still 6-0 into the fifth, the Jacks got an RBI double from Herdliska, a sacrifice fly from Abbey Murphy, and a two-run home run from Lyndsey Crist to give SDSU a 10-0 lead.

Clark took care of the rest, pitching around the game's lone error to preserve the run-rule win, and the shutout, in the bottom of the fifth. Clark struck out four and walked three to improve to 6-7 on the season.

The Jackrabbits get the weekend off before returning to action on Tuesday in Grand Forks, N.D. with a doubleheader against North Dakota. The Jacks and Fighting Hawks start at 2 p.m.