Completed Event: Softball versus Augustana on October 5, 2025 ,
/
FINAL
Softball
vs Augustana
South Dakota State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 6
Clearwater, Fla.
11:15 a.m.
South Dakota State University
vs
Penn
Photo by: Laura Mullen
Softball heads for Florida over Spring Break
3/4/2018 9:15:00 AM | Softball
| Â GAMES 12-20: South Dakota State (6-5) at USF-Under Armour Showcase |
| Â When | Â Tuesday, March 6* | vs. Penn (11:15 a.m.); vs. Niagara (1:30 p.m.) Â Wednesday, March 7* |Â vs. Central Michigan (10 a.m.); vs. Loyola Chicago (Noon) Â Friday, March 9^ | vs. Seton Hall (1 p.m.); vs. Bethune-Cookman (3:15 p.m.) Â Saturday, March 10^ | vs. Central Connecticut State (8 a.m.); vs. Maine (10:15 a.m.) Â Sunday, March 11^ | vs. Delaware State (10:15 a.m. |
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|  Where |  Eddie C Moore Sports Complex | Clearwater, Florida | |
| Â Live Video | Â Not Available | |
| Â Live Stats | Â Not Available | |
|  Game Notes |  South Dakota State | Tournament Page | |
| Â Social Media | Â Twitter | Facebook | #GRIT | |
Weekend Outlook
South Dakota State softball heads for the Sunshine State next week (March 7-11) over spring break, playing nine games in Clearwater, Florida. The Jacks will play four neutral site games before closing the weekend with five games at the USF-Under Armour Showcase.
SDSU takes on Penn and Niagara Tuesday before a pair of games with Central Michigan and Loyola Chicago on Wednesday.
The showcase event begins Friday with a pair of afternoon games for the Jacks, as SDSU is set to take on Seton Hall and Bethune-Cookman. Saturday's game feature the Jackrabbits, Central Connecticut State and Maine while SDSU will conclude the weekend with a single contest Sunday morning against Delaware State.
Due to game locations, live coverage of the events will be limited with no live stats or video available. Follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksSB) for updates.
About the Jacks
Abbey Murphy leads the offense with a .447 average over 11 starts while Baily Janssen joins her above the .400 mark, going 13-for-31 (.419) at the plate. Murphy's 13 RBIs is a team-high as the senior is second in doubles (four) behind Julia Andersen (.366) and Brittney Morse (.342), who each have six two-baggers.
Andersen's 10 runs driven in is second among Jacks while Mallory McQuistan, who is hitting .321 on the year, leads the way with three home runs. Ali Herdliska has four doubles, a home run and nine RBIs with six walks, even with Lyndsey Crist for the most on the squad.
Madison Hope (5.64 ERA) is 3-1 on the year and has thrown 30.1 frames while Taylor Compton (3-4) has a 7.22 ERA over 28.2 innings pitched. Both pitchers are even with 15 strikeouts each. Kendra Conard (11 innings) leads the team with a 4.09 ERA.
Weekend Recap
Jackrabbit softball went 4-2 last weekend between the UCA Invitational and a doubleheader at Kansas. State opened the weekend with a pair of wins over Stephen F. Austin (7-2) and Austin Peay (12-4) on day one of the invite. The event wrapped up with a split against Louisiana Monroe (3-9) and Arkansas Pine Bluff (9-0). The Jacks defeated APSU in six innings and UAPB in five.
Against Kansas last Tuesday, South Dakota State took the opener 7-4 but fell in game two, 5-1.
As a team, South Dakota State hit .352 as a team over six games last weekend with 13 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 36 runs driven in (out of 39 total runs). In the circle the staff put together a 4.97 ERA over 38 innings pitched, allowing 24 runs (21 earned) with 18 strikeouts.
Individually, Baily Janssen led all starters with a .444 average for the week, going 8-for-18 at the plate with an inside-the-park home run and four RBIs. She tallied 10 putouts and 12 assists without committing an error. Brittney Morse (.429) had four doubles and five RBIs in 21 at-bats while Megan Rushing (.385), Abbey Murphy (.381), Julia Andersen (.364) and Mallory McQuistan (.353) were all above the .350 mark at the plate. Murphy tacked on two doubles with a team-high nine RBIs while Andersen had a trio of doubles, a triple and drove in five.
Taylor Compton went 3-1 with a save on the weekend while compiling a 3.68 ERA over 14.2 innings pitched with eight strikeouts. Madison Hope (5.89 ERA) was 1-1 on the weekend and paced the team in innings pitched (18.1) and strikeouts (nine).
Opponent Outlook
- Penn (0-0) will open the 2018 season in Clearwater, Florida. The group hit .294 as a team last year while going 22-18 and 12-8 in Ivy League play. The Quakers return nine starters from last season including Jurie Joyner who hit .355 with five doubles, five home runs and 23 RBIs. Mason Spichiger (4.20 ERA, 3-5) and Jennifer Brann (6.20 ERA, 2-1) are back in the circle with a combined 81 innings thrown between the pair last year.
- Niagara (3-6) went 1-4 last weekend at the GCU Purple Classic and will play four games at the D9 Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Florida (March 3-4) before the spring break games. Niagara is hitting .227 as a team with seven doubles and three combined home runs. Kelsey Harrigan leads the way with a .333 average over nine starts while Jennifer Timm and Maria Gabriele each have two doubles. Jerri Ann Orfano leads the team with eight RBIs. In the circle, the Purple Eagles hold a 5.25 team ERA. Karsen Cotton (3.07 ERA, 1-1), Sierra Bertrand (3.65 ERA, 2-2) and Jennifer Szilagyi (7.18 ERA, 0-2) have thrown a majority of innings for a staff that has struck out 42 opponents.
- Central Michigan (4-4) went 3-1 at the Liberty Softball Challenge in Lynchburg, Virginia last weekend with wins over Delaware State (two) and Liberty. Lacy Tolfree (.481), Erika Underwood (.440) and Maison Kalina (.440) are all hitting over .400 for the Chippewas, who have 11 doubles, two triples and five home runs as a team. CMU boasts a 2.80 ERA as a staff with Samantha Howell (0.72 ERA, 2-0) leading the way. Hanna Warren (3.50 ERA, 1-3) has throw a team-high 22 innings and struck out 15.
- Loyola Chicago (5-4) went 2-2 at last weekend's Cardinal Classic in Beaumont, Texas, the same tournament SDSU attended last season. The Ramblers are hitting .306 combined and hold a 2.70 ERA as a team. Shannon McGee (.429) and Allyson Ivey (.407) have started all nine games for the Ramblers and lead the team with 12 and 11 hits, respectively. Ivey's three doubles and nine RBIs are a team-high. Kiley Jones is 4-1 in the circle with a 1.42 ERA, striking out 23 in 29.2 innings pitched.
- Seton Hall (7-6) went 3-2 last weekend at the UNCG Invitational in Greensboro, North Carolina. Hailey Arteaga (.385) and Alexis Walkden (.350) lead a team hitting .265 combined with 15 and 14 hits, respectively. Walkden has hit four home runs and driven in 10. The Pirate pitchers have struck out 59 batters and hold a 3.83 ERA with Reganne Camp (2.04, 2-4) leading the way over 44.2 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts.
- Bethune-Cookman (5-10) dropped all five of its matchups last weekend in Palm Springs, California after winning three straight to end the Disney Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invite the weekend prior. Bethune-Cookman is hitting .243 as a team with six home runs and 68 total runs scored. Ryan Jackson leads the way with a .333 average, racking up five doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs. Alexis Bermudez (2.07 ERA, 1-2), Victoria Guzman (4.53 ERA, 2-4) and Destiny Enriquez (5.25 ERA, 1-4) have tossed a majority of innings for a staff that has struck out 55 with a 4.38 ERA.
- Central Connecticut State (2-3) will play six games in Fayetteville, Arkansas before the weekend games in Clearwater, Florida after opening its season in Miami, Florida last week. Gianna Hathaway (two doubles) is hitting .500 on the season to lead the team, while Brittany Camara (.412) has seven hits on the season a pair of RBIs, tied with Sydney Bolan (.353) for second on the team behind Lex Debrosse's three runs batted in. Peyton Silverman has thrown 17.2 innings with six strikeouts for the season. The Blue Devils hold a 2.68 team ERA.
- Maine (3-2) went 3-2 in its season opening tournament in Wilmington, North Carolina and is hitting .231 as a team. The Black Bears will play five games at the Mizuno Classic in Stillwater, Oklahoma before the Under Armour Showcase, and are led offensively by Rachel Carlson (.500, four RBIs), Rachel Niland (.250, double) and Shanna Scribner (.250). In the circle, Annie Kennedy (0.64 ERA) and Molly Flowers (0.78 ERA) hold sub-1.00 ERAs and have struck out seven and 12, respectively.
- Delaware State (0-9) is winless to start the year and hitting .184 as a team. Desiree Moreno (.391) has a pair of home runs and a double with nine hits to lead the team. The Hornets hold a 9.18 ERA with 24 strikeouts. Hannah Shields (6.46 ERA) has thrown 23.2 innings and struck out 15.
Janssen earns Summit League Player of the Week honors
South Dakota State's Baily Janssen was honored as the Summit League's Softball Player of the Week, released Feb. 26 by the league office.
Though the Jackrabbits played just two games in the award's time frame, Janssen hit .500 and slugged 1.000 with a .500 on-base percentage over two starts. The Missouri Valley, Iowa went 3-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs, two walks and an inside-the-park home run.
Janssen went 1-for-3 against Stephen F. Austin Sunday with her first career home run, driving in three runs in the fifth when her inside-the-park round tripper cleared the Ladyjacks defense. In Sunday's finale, Janssen was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Herdliska Chasing Records
- Ali Herdliska moved into the top 10 in career doubles late-February and now has 28 in her career. She is eight shy of Shelly Brandel's school record (36) set from 1995-98
- Herdliska sits third in school history with 23 career home runs, two shy of the second spot in the record book (held by Steph Kuhl).
- Herdliska ranks seventh in Jackrabbit history with 80 RBIs. Next up is Ashley Durazo (2008-11) who drove in 94 in her career.
- Herdliska ranks seventh at SDSU with 58 career walks. She is within 13 free passes of the school record and two shy of the top five.
- Herdliska is also fourth in school history with 804 career putouts early in her third year as a Jackrabbit.
Quick Hits
- South Dakota State has put up four or more runs in an inning six times this year, last doing it Feb. 27 at Kansas with seven runs in the top of the fourth in a 7-4 win.
- The Jacks have scored five or more in an inning five times this season.
- Abbey Murphy became the first Jackrabbit to drive in five runs in a game since Ali Herdliska did it last Feb. 26 against Alabama A&M when Murphy went for five against Austin Peay Feb. 25.
- SDSU's 19-12 win over Green Bay on Feb. 11 was the first time the Jacks had surpassed the 15-run mark since April 30, 2016 in a 16-2 win over Fort Wayne.
- The Jackrabbits racked up 16 hits against Austin Peay, surpassing the 15-hit mark in a game for the first time since Feb. 17, 2017 when the team had 15 against South Carolina State.
- Mallory McQuistan hit the first home run of the season in the third inning against UMKC, taking a 2-2 pitch over the wall and now has a team-high three long balls on the year
- Megan Rushing had the Jackrabbits first triple of 2018 in the same inning as McQuistan's first home run and leads the team with two three-baggers this season.
- Julia Anderson and Mallory McQuistan both set career highs in runs batted (four) Feb. 11, 2018 against Green Bay.
- Abbey Murphy has now been hit by 14 pitches in her career and is alone in second place at SDSU. She trails only Jessica Markanich (2012-15), who was hit 20 times.
- The Jackrabbits are now 25-24 all-time in season openers and 6-9 at the Division I level (since 2004). State's win over UMKC was its first opening day win since 2015
Jacks Picked Fourth in Summit League Poll
South Dakota State was picked fourth in the 2018 Summit League Preseason Coaches Poll, released early February by the league office. The Jacks earned the No. 6 seed in the 2017 Summit League Championships and carry an experienced lineup into the 2018 season.
State has with 13 returners on the roster, including eight position starters and a starting pitcher. The Jacks will blend 14 upperclassman (five seniors, nine juniors) with a promising group of underclassman.
SDSU received 14 votes in the poll, three behind South Dakota, who had 17 points and one first-place vote. Atop the poll, reigning league champion North Dakota State is first with five first-place votes and 25 points, while Western Illinois garnered 20 tallies for second.
Herdliska Named a Player to Watch
For the second consecutive season, Ali Herdliska was named a Player to Watch for The Summit League, announced preseason alongside the coaches poll.
Herdliska, an All-Summit League performer from 2017, is back for her junior campaign after leading the Jackrabbits with a .338 average last year, starting all 54 games. The infielder racked up 18 doubles, six home runs and 36 RBIs while drawing 18 walks on the season.
Smarty Jacks
South Dakota State was one of 149 Division I softball programs to earn a spot on the 2017 Easton / National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Academic Teams award list. The rankings recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across seven membership divisions within the NFCA.
The Jackrabbits had a 2016-17 team grade point average of 3.016 with 11 team members boasting GPAs above the 3.00 mark.
For the 2017 fall semester, State posted a 3.47 combined GPA with 18 of 20 student-athletes logging a plus-3.0 grade point average.
New Face in the Dugout
While head coach Krista Wood and assistant Shannon Pivovar are in their fourth season leading the Jacks, a new face has joined the coaching ranks for the 2018 season. Kristi Villar was added as an assistant coach of the summer and brings more than nine years of collegiate coaching experience to the program. She spent the last seven years at Northern State, where she won over 160 games while building a program that had previously never won more than 20 games before her arrival. The Oakdale, Minnesota native won 20 or more games four times, and helped the team to its first 30-win season while earning 2015 NSIC Coach of the Year honors.
Prior to NSU, she worked for two seasons (2007-09) as a graduate assistant coach at Southwest Minnesota State, where she helped the Mustangs to consecutive NSIC championships and worked with one All-American, three All-Region players and seven All-NSIC picks.
She played collegiate ball at Augustana (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), where she earned All-North Central Conference honors four times in her career and led the team in hitting as a junior and senior.
Nine Sign NLIs with Jackrabbit Softball
South Dakota State softball coach Krista Wood announced nine additions to the Jackrabbit softball program as part of this week's National Signing Day activities.
Olivia Douglas, part of the group, enrolled early and has joined SDSU for the upcoming season, while the other eight newcomers will come to campus fall 2018. Those signees are Caelyn Christiancy (Lincoln, Nebraska), Peyton Daugherty (Ankeny, Iowa), Morgan DeMarais (Buffalo, Minnesota), Emma Hardin (Brookings, South Dakota), Jadelyn Johnson (Battle Ground, Indiana), Kelsey Lenox (Chesterfield, Missouri), Olivia Pfeifer (Hannibal, Missouri) and Allison Yoder (Urbandale, Iowa).
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Players Mentioned
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