JACKRABBITS STAY ALIVE WITH NINE-INNING WIN

Saturday, May 21

Orlando, Fla.

1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT

South Dakota State University

41-12

Villanova

32-24

Villanova

South Dakota State

Photo by: Romeo T Guzman

5/22/2022 10:45:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kelsey Lenox doubled in Rozelyn Carrillo with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Jackrabbits prevailed 5-4 over Villanova in the wild conclusion of a suspended game Sunday at the NCAA Softball Tournament's Orlando Regional.

SDSU, 41-12 overall, will immediately face Michigan in another elimination game, with the winner of that contest facing No. 16 overall seed Central Florida in the championship round later on Sunday. Michigan defeated the Jackrabbits, 2-1, in opening-roujnd action on Friday.

After play was halted Saturday night, the game resumed at 10 a.m. Sunday in the top of the sixth inning with the game tied at 1-all. Villanova grabbed a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh when Megan Kern lined a single up the middle with the bases loaded to score Paige Rauch. The relay throw home was misplayed to allow a second run to score and the throw back to home plate was errant, leading to the third run on the play for the Wildcats.

The Jackrabbits came right back, however, to tie the game at 4-all and send it to extra innings. Allison Yoder, Peyton Daugherty and Emma Osmundson opened the inning with consecutive singles, with Yoder scoring on Osmundson's hit down the third-base line. After Rozelyn Carrillo was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, Cylie Halvorson drew a walk to force in a run and Lenox delivered the tying run with a single to center field. Lenox's hit came after SDSU succesfully challenged a call in which Lenox was ruled to have fouled off a preceding pitch.

Villanova was able to prevent the winning run from scoring in the seventh inning as the next three Jackrabbit hitters were retired on a strikeout and pair of groundouts.

Grace Glanzer entered to pitch in the eighth inning and tossed two scoreless innings before the Jackrabbits put together the game-winning rally in the ninth. Carrillo began the ninth with a single to right field, setting the stage two batters later for Lenox, who lined a double to the fence in left-center that scored Carrillo from first base.

The Jackrabbits finished with a 12-3 advantage in hits as Daugherty and Lenox each tallied three hits. Yoder and Carrillo both collected two hits.

SDSU starter Tori Kniesche struck out 14 batters, but walked eight and hit two over the first seven innings.

-GoJacks.com-