Softball finishes weekend undefeated

Monday, February 25

Conway, Ark.

9 a.m.

South Dakota State University

8-4

North Alabama

8-3

North Alabama

South Dakota State

Photo by: Laura Mullen

2/25/2019 1:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CONWAY, Ark. -- The Jackrabbit softball team picked up two more wins on the final day of the Michelle Short Memorial Classic to go undefeated at the event. South Dakota State took down North Alabama in Monday's opener, 6-5, before rolling to a 9-1, run-rule victory against Jackson State in the finale.

SDSU, now 10-4 on the season, is off to its best start at the Division I level.

South Dakota State 6, North Alabama 5
Taylor Compton started and tossed three innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits. She struck out two before Morgan DeMarais entered in relief. DeMarais (3-0) picked up her second win in as many days, scattering five hits with one run allowed.

Julia Andersen was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in and a double, while Ali Herdliska (double), Mallory McQuistan (double), Megan Rushing and Baily Janssen (RBI) each had a hit.

Lyndsey Crist worked two free passes.

Down 1-0 after the top of the first, State's offense struck back with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take command early. Peyton Daugherty reached on an error to open the rally, and with one gone a string of three consecutive doubles from Andersen, Herdliska and McQuistan made it 3-1 Jackrabbits.

Later in the inning, SDSU sat with runners on first and second and two outs before Janssen ripped a single to right center to plate one more and put the Jacks ahead three.

UNA tied it at four in the top of the third behind a three-run home run, but the Jackrabbits went back in front in the fourth with a two-out base knock from Andersen. Janssen walked to start the inning and Daugherty was hit by a one-out pitch soon after.

With two gone in the inning, Andersen roped a single to left that pushed Janssen across, and after the ball was misplayed on the grass, Daugherty was able to dash home to put the Jacks ahead, 6-4.

The Lions added one more in the top of the seventh, but that was it as SDSU picked up its third victory of the weekend.

South Dakota State 9, Jackson State 1 (Five innings)
Kendra Conard (2-0) allowed just one hit over a complete-game victory, allowing five walks and one run while striking out six.

The Jackrabbit offense racked up six doubles in the win, tying the school's previous single-game record.

Andersen and Kelsey Lenox each had two doubles and a pair of RBIs, while Janssen (two RBIs) and Megan Rushing (RBI) added two-baggers of their own.

Herdliska drove in another Jackrabbit run.

SDSU kept the bats rolling in the weekend finale, opening up a 4-0 lead in the first inning with four hits and a pair of walks. Daugherty and Yanney Ponce started the frame with back-to-back singles, and after a fielder's choice the Jackrabbits sat with runners on first and third and one out. Herdliska single through the left side for the game's first run, and Lenox followed with a rope down the left field line to plate another. After Crist was hit by a pitch to load the bases, a wild pitch allowed Herdliska to dash home. SDSU's fourth run came two at-bats later when Janssen sent a sacrifice fly out to right.

The Jackrabbits pushed their lead to seven with three more runs (off of three doubles) in the second. Ponce started the burst with her second infield hit of the day, and with one gone came around to score on another Andersen double. The Tigers picked up their second out on the next batter, but Lenox and Rushing followed with their own extra base hits to bring two more across.

SDSU made it 8-0 in the third after a three-bag JSU error and Andersen's 36th career double, but saw the Tigers answer with a run in the top of the fourth after two Jackrabbit errors.

Looking to put the game back in run-rule territory, SDSU used a leadoff walk from Lenox to start a scoring threat before Olivia Pfiefer entered as a pinch-runner. From there, a passed and foul-out allowed Pfeifer to move to second, and with two outs Janssen ripped SDSU's sixth double of the contest to bring the game-winning run in.

JSU had one more chance to extend the contest and put a runner on with one out, but the Jackrabbits rolled up a 4-6-3 double play to end it and head home with a win.

Game Notes

Julia Andersen is now tied for first in career doubles (36) alongside Shelly Brandel (1995-98). She passed Steph Kuhl (34; 2004-07) and Elyse Eitel (35; 2012-15) at the event. Ali Herdliska is fifth with 33 career doubles.
Herdliska is 10th in SDSU's career record books with 174 hits. No. 1 on the list, Angie Friberg, has 214.
Lyndsey Crist is fourth in SDSU history with 67 career walks. She trails only Herdliska (90), Stacey Warner (71) and Lindsay Distel (68).
Crist has been hit by 14 pitches in her career, which ranks as the third-most at SDSU.

Up Next
South Dakota State is off next weekend before making a return trip to the Sunshine State. The Jackrabbits will be in Clearwater, Florida over spring break (March 5-10) for five neutral site contests and a five-game slate at the USF-Under Armour Invitational.

-GoJacks.com-