Completed Event: Softball versus Augustana on October 5, 2025 ,
/
FINAL
Softball
vs Augustana
South Dakota State University Athletics
Saturday, April 28
Macomb, Ill.
Noon
South Dakota State University
30-12, 0
13
at
3
Western Illinois
16-26, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
South Dakota State
0
2
0
0
11
13
13
0
Western Illinois
0
0
0
2
1
3
6
2
Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen
Softball splits Saturday doubleheader at WIU
4/28/2018 4:15:00 PM | Softball
MACOMB, Ill. – South Dakota State softball split a road doubleheader with Western Illinois Saturday at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium, claiming game one 13-3 in five innings before dropping game two, 4-3.
The Jackrabbits (30-13, 9-4 Summit League) reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth time in program history and won seven consecutive games before Saturday's finale.Â
Â
Game One: South Dakota State 13, Western Illinois 3 (Five innings)
Six Jackrabbits had multi-hit games, led by Brittney Morse's 3-for-4 performance that included three RBIs and a home run. Abbey Murphy, Julia Andersen, Ali Herdliska, Lyndsey Crist and Baily Janssen all racked up two hits as Herdliska and Crist also netted home runs and Andersen and Janssen drove in three each.
Madison Hope (18-5) pitched a complete game in the win, striking out two while allowing three runs on six hits.
Â
Scoreless through one, State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second with a patient approach and timely hits. Crist snuck a single through the right side to open the inning before Janssen and Megan Rushing drew walks to load the bases. With one gone in the inning, Murphy hit a bloop single to center to plate Crist and Andersen followed with a single through the right side, as Janssen came home to put SDSU ahead two.
Â
That score held until the fourth, when a two-run Leatherneck home run evened the score, but the Jacks responded quickly with a crooked inning, scoring 11 runs in the fifth to build a 13-2 advantage.
Â
Herdliska and Morse started the rally with back-to-back long balls, and with one out in the frame Crist ripped a ball to the left-center gap that fell between a pair of colliding outfielders. The Lincoln, Nebraska native showed off her wheels on the play, racing around the bases and beating the throw at the plate for an inside-the-park home run.
Â
Later in the inning, State loaded the bases with two outs and scored five more runs a two-run single from Andersen, a one-run single from Herdliska and a bases-clearing two-run double from Morse to the left center gap. Mallory McQuistan and Crist worked consecutive walks to reload the bases again before Janssen emptied them with a triple to right center, launching a 3-2 pitch into the gap to put the Jacks ahead by 11.
Â
In run-rule territory after the big inning, State allowed two runs in the bottom of the fifth but shut down the rally with a game-ending double play to seal the victory.
Â
Game Two: Western Illinois 4, South Dakota State 3
Lyndsey Crist was 2-for-3 in the game with a solo home run while Julia Andersen added her 18th multi-hit performance of the season. Paige Gerdes drove in two runs with a double and four other Jackrabbits tallied hits.
Â
Taylor Compton started and threw four complete innings, allowing one run on a pair of hits and four walks while striking out two. Hope (18-6) pitched the final two innings and was tagged for the loss with three runs allowed on six hits and a walk.
Â
WIU took a 1-0 lead early and held the advantage until the fifth, when Crist hit a solo home run to left center to even the score.
The Leathernecks answered SDSU's rally with three runs in the bottom of the inning while building a 4-1 lead, but the Jacks stayed within striking distance with a pair of scores in the top of the sixth. Andersen and Herdliska reached on back-to-back singles to start the frame, and after a fielder's choice put Herdliska on second and Danielle Steffo (who pinch-ran for Morse) on first with one gone, Gerdes ripped a 2-2 pitch to left center for a two-run, pinch-hit double to make it 4-3.Â
Down to its last chance, State put a runner on in the top of the seventh but lined into a double play to end it.
 Â
Up Next
South Dakota State and Western Illinois conclude the series Sunday at 11 a.m.
Â
The Jackrabbits (30-13, 9-4 Summit League) reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth time in program history and won seven consecutive games before Saturday's finale.Â
Â
Game One: South Dakota State 13, Western Illinois 3 (Five innings)
Six Jackrabbits had multi-hit games, led by Brittney Morse's 3-for-4 performance that included three RBIs and a home run. Abbey Murphy, Julia Andersen, Ali Herdliska, Lyndsey Crist and Baily Janssen all racked up two hits as Herdliska and Crist also netted home runs and Andersen and Janssen drove in three each.
Madison Hope (18-5) pitched a complete game in the win, striking out two while allowing three runs on six hits.
Â
Scoreless through one, State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second with a patient approach and timely hits. Crist snuck a single through the right side to open the inning before Janssen and Megan Rushing drew walks to load the bases. With one gone in the inning, Murphy hit a bloop single to center to plate Crist and Andersen followed with a single through the right side, as Janssen came home to put SDSU ahead two.
Â
That score held until the fourth, when a two-run Leatherneck home run evened the score, but the Jacks responded quickly with a crooked inning, scoring 11 runs in the fifth to build a 13-2 advantage.
Â
Herdliska and Morse started the rally with back-to-back long balls, and with one out in the frame Crist ripped a ball to the left-center gap that fell between a pair of colliding outfielders. The Lincoln, Nebraska native showed off her wheels on the play, racing around the bases and beating the throw at the plate for an inside-the-park home run.
Â
Later in the inning, State loaded the bases with two outs and scored five more runs a two-run single from Andersen, a one-run single from Herdliska and a bases-clearing two-run double from Morse to the left center gap. Mallory McQuistan and Crist worked consecutive walks to reload the bases again before Janssen emptied them with a triple to right center, launching a 3-2 pitch into the gap to put the Jacks ahead by 11.
Â
In run-rule territory after the big inning, State allowed two runs in the bottom of the fifth but shut down the rally with a game-ending double play to seal the victory.
Â
Game Two: Western Illinois 4, South Dakota State 3
Lyndsey Crist was 2-for-3 in the game with a solo home run while Julia Andersen added her 18th multi-hit performance of the season. Paige Gerdes drove in two runs with a double and four other Jackrabbits tallied hits.
Â
Taylor Compton started and threw four complete innings, allowing one run on a pair of hits and four walks while striking out two. Hope (18-6) pitched the final two innings and was tagged for the loss with three runs allowed on six hits and a walk.
Â
WIU took a 1-0 lead early and held the advantage until the fifth, when Crist hit a solo home run to left center to even the score.
The Leathernecks answered SDSU's rally with three runs in the bottom of the inning while building a 4-1 lead, but the Jacks stayed within striking distance with a pair of scores in the top of the sixth. Andersen and Herdliska reached on back-to-back singles to start the frame, and after a fielder's choice put Herdliska on second and Danielle Steffo (who pinch-ran for Morse) on first with one gone, Gerdes ripped a 2-2 pitch to left center for a two-run, pinch-hit double to make it 4-3.Â
Down to its last chance, State put a runner on in the top of the seventh but lined into a double play to end it.
 Â
Up Next
South Dakota State and Western Illinois conclude the series Sunday at 11 a.m.
Â
-GoJacks.com-
Â
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hope, Madison (18-5)
L: Ira (9-9)
Batting:
2B: Morse, Brittney 1
3B: Janssen, Baily 1
HR: Herdliska, Ali 1 ; Morse, Brittney 1 ; Crist, Lyndsey 1
RBI: Murphy, Abbey 1 ; Andersen, Julia 3 ; Herdliska, Ali 2 ; Morse, Brittney 3 ; Crist, Lyndsey 1 ; Janssen, Baily 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Murphy, Abbey 1 ; Andersen, Julia 1 ; Herdliska, Ali 2 ; Morse, Brittney 1 ; Steffo, Danielle 1 ; McQuistan, Mallory 1 ; Crist, Lyndsey 3 ; Janssen, Baily 1 ; Rushing, Megan 1 ; Ponce, Yanney 1
HBP: Murphy, Abbey 1
Batting:
3B: Ira 1
HR: Duwa 1
RBI: Lara 1 ; Duwa 2
SH: Beatty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marlow 1 ; Duwa 1 ; Ira 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
cf/rf
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
rf/cf
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballC/UT
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballSummit League Tournament Semifinal Highlights (05.09.2025)
Saturday, May 10
Softball Highlights vs South Dakota (05.08.2025)
Thursday, May 08
Softball Weekly Update (05.06.2025)
Tuesday, May 06
Softball Weekly Update (04.29.2025)
Tuesday, April 29