Completed Event: Softball versus Augustana on October 5, 2025 ,
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FINAL
Softball
vs Augustana
South Dakota State University Athletics
Sunday, April 16
Brookings, S.D.
11 a.m.
South Dakota State University
16-28, 3-6
12
vs
7
Fort Wayne
9-31, 2-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Fort Wayne
0
0
0
2
5
0
0
7
9
4
South Dakota State
7
0
3
1
0
1
X
12
10
1
Photo by: Jeff Kellum
Three homer as Jacks claim weekend series
4/16/2017 3:32:00 PM | Softball
South Dakota State softball put up seven runs in the first inning and hung on the rest of the way, taking down Fort Wayne 12-7, Sunday at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.
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SDSU (16-28, 3-6 Summit League) took the series as well, winning two of three this weekend against the Mastodons (9-31, 2-7 Summit League).
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Ashlyn Bender (8-10) started and threw five complete, striking out a pair with seven runs allowed (six earned) on eight hits and two walks. Madison Hope tossed the final two frames in scoreless fashion.
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The Jacks were led offensively by Ali Herdliska, who went 3 for 4 with a home run, double and three runs batted in. Alexis Ray added a pair of hits while Abbey Murphy (two RBIs) and Erin Mullen had home runs as well. Yanney Ponce brought two runners in with an RBI double for her lone hit of the day.
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State batted around in the first and put up seven runs on five hits. Alexis Ray led off the game with a single into center and scored when Murphy drove a 3-2 pitch over the center field fence. Herdliska restarted the rally with a double into the right field corner and wheeled around when Gerdes singled into left.
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From there, Mallory McQuistan and Danielle Steffo were pegged in consecutive at-bats to load the bases and Christian McKone worked a five-pitch walk to bring Gerdes home. Ahead 5-0 at that point, Ponce doubled to plate two more, and an errant throw as the ball came back to the pitcher provided ample time for the opportunistic McKone to dash home for the seventh run of the inning.
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The Jacks tacked on another three in the third thanks to a trio of hits and a Mastodon error. McKone started the inning with a single and moved to second on Ponce's ground ball. After Ray's bloop single into center put runners on first and second for the home team, Andersen reached safely on an error and McKone scooted home for her second run of the game. Murphy grounded out to push both Jackrabbits into scoring position, and Herdliska followed with a single up the middle that plated Ray and Andersen.
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Trailing 10-0, Fort Wayne got a pair of runs back in the fourth on a home run, but the Jacks responded with a long ball of their own when Mullen drilled a pinch-hit past the left center wall.
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Looking to end the game early, SDSU took a 11-2 run into the fifth but saw the Dons stage a five-run inning to crawl within four (11-7).
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State's final run of the day came in the bottom of the sixth, when Herdliska hit her fourth home run of the season on the first pitch she saw.
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Game Notes
Up Next
South Dakota State returns to action next weekend, April 21-22, as Omaha comes to town.
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SDSU (16-28, 3-6 Summit League) took the series as well, winning two of three this weekend against the Mastodons (9-31, 2-7 Summit League).
Â
Ashlyn Bender (8-10) started and threw five complete, striking out a pair with seven runs allowed (six earned) on eight hits and two walks. Madison Hope tossed the final two frames in scoreless fashion.
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The Jacks were led offensively by Ali Herdliska, who went 3 for 4 with a home run, double and three runs batted in. Alexis Ray added a pair of hits while Abbey Murphy (two RBIs) and Erin Mullen had home runs as well. Yanney Ponce brought two runners in with an RBI double for her lone hit of the day.
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State batted around in the first and put up seven runs on five hits. Alexis Ray led off the game with a single into center and scored when Murphy drove a 3-2 pitch over the center field fence. Herdliska restarted the rally with a double into the right field corner and wheeled around when Gerdes singled into left.
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From there, Mallory McQuistan and Danielle Steffo were pegged in consecutive at-bats to load the bases and Christian McKone worked a five-pitch walk to bring Gerdes home. Ahead 5-0 at that point, Ponce doubled to plate two more, and an errant throw as the ball came back to the pitcher provided ample time for the opportunistic McKone to dash home for the seventh run of the inning.
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The Jacks tacked on another three in the third thanks to a trio of hits and a Mastodon error. McKone started the inning with a single and moved to second on Ponce's ground ball. After Ray's bloop single into center put runners on first and second for the home team, Andersen reached safely on an error and McKone scooted home for her second run of the game. Murphy grounded out to push both Jackrabbits into scoring position, and Herdliska followed with a single up the middle that plated Ray and Andersen.
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Trailing 10-0, Fort Wayne got a pair of runs back in the fourth on a home run, but the Jacks responded with a long ball of their own when Mullen drilled a pinch-hit past the left center wall.
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Looking to end the game early, SDSU took a 11-2 run into the fifth but saw the Dons stage a five-run inning to crawl within four (11-7).
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State's final run of the day came in the bottom of the sixth, when Herdliska hit her fourth home run of the season on the first pitch she saw.
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Game Notes
- Abbey Murphy, Erin Mullen and Ali Herdliska hit home runs for the Jackrabbits. Murphy hit two home runs in the series while Herdliska blasted her 20th career long ball.
- SDSU now trails Fort Wayne in the all-time series, 16-13, and has won eight of the last night matchups.
Up Next
South Dakota State returns to action next weekend, April 21-22, as Omaha comes to town.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bender, Ashlyn (8-10)
L: Elizabeth Snodgrass (2-7)
Batting:
2B: Brooke Imel 1 ; Maria Palmegiani 2
HR: Caitlyn DeLong 1 ; Demitra Burns 1
RBI: Brooke Imel 1 ; Sydney Windlan 1 ; Caitlyn DeLong 3 ; Demitra Burns 2
SH: Sydney Windlan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sierra Miranda 1 ; Brooke Imel 1 ; Jessica Murray 1 ; Courtney Holm 1 ; Caitlyn DeLong 2 ; Demitra Burns 1
HBP: Jessica Murray 1
Batting:
2B: Herdliska, Ali 1 ; Ponce, Yanney 1
HR: Murphy, Abbey 1 ; Herdliska, Ali 1 ; Mullen, Erin 1
RBI: Murphy, Abbey 2 ; Herdliska, Ali 3 ; Gerdes, Paige 1 ; Mullen, Erin 1 ; McKone, Christian 1 ; Ponce, Yanney 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ray, Alexis 2 ; Andersen, Julia 1 ; Murphy, Abbey 1 ; Herdliska, Ali 2 ; Gerdes, Paige 1 ; McQuistan, Mallory 1 ; Mullen, Erin 1 ; Steffo, Danielle 1 ; McKone, Christian 2
SB: Crist, Lyndsey 1
HBP: McQuistan, Mallory 2 ; Steffo, Danielle 1 ; Crist, Lyndsey 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
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