Ponce, Murphy homer but Jacks drop doubleheader

Saturday, April 29

Fargo, N.D.

12 p.m.

South Dakota State University

17-31, 0

North Dakota State

21-28, 0

South Dakota State

North Dakota State

Photo by: Jason Salzman

4/29/2017 4:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

FARGO, N.D. – South Dakota State softball fell short in its doubleheader with North Dakota State Saturday, dropping the opener, 9-3, and the second game, 3-1.

The Jackrabbits are now 17-32 on the year and 4-10 in Summit League play.

Ashlyn Bender (9-12) started game one in the circle, allowing seven runs on 10 hits before exiting in the second. Katie Lang threw the final 4.1 innings, allowing just two runs while scattering four hits and three walks.

Yanney Ponce hit a two-run home run while Julia Andersen (1 for 2) tallied SDSU's other RBI in the contest.

NDSU took a 2-0 lead in the first and built a seven-run advantage in the second with a five-spot.

Ponce's home run put the Jacks on the board in the third, drawing SDSU within five (7-2). Christian McKone started the frame with a walk before Ponce hammered a 1-0 pitch over the right center wall for her first career blast.

Down 9-2 after the Bison added runs in the fourth and fifth innings, the Jacks got one more in the top of the seventh on Andersen's sacrifice fly, but it wasn't enough as NDSU took the weekend opener.

Madison Hope (0-7) earned the start for the day's finale and limited the Bison over six complete, scattering six hits with three runs allowed and a strikeout.

Abbey Murphy was 2 for 2 in the game with her fourth home run of the season. Ali Herdliska singled for SDSU's other hit in the game.

Game two saw NDSU jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first once again before Abbey Murphy's solo shot to start the third pulled the Jacks within one (2-1). The Bison aimed to extend their lead with one-out runners in the second, third and fourth innings, but SDSU's defense stepped up and ended all three frames with double plays.

The standoff continued until the sixth, when the Bison used a solo home run to go ahead 3-1. Down to its last chance, the Jacks threatened behind Herdliska's one-out single in the seventh, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Up Next
The teams conclude the three-game series Sunday at 11 a.m.