JACKS SPLIT PAIR OF CLOSE GAMES IN HOUSTON

Friday, February 10

Houston, Texas

12:30 p.m.

South Dakota State University

1-0

Nebraska

1-1

NEBRASKA

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

Photo by: Erik Williams

2/10/2023 6:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Pedersen

HOUSTON, Texas – The South Dakota State softball team opened its 2023 season by splitting a pair of one-run contests on Friday at Houston's Cougar Stadium. The Jackrabbits began the day by earning a 1-0 victory over Nebraska, then fell to the host Cougars in extra innings, 5-4.

Game 1 (vs. Nebraska)
Tori Kniesche allowed just three hits and Rozelyn Carrillo hit a first-inning home run, to go along with some stellar play in the field by multiple individuals, to lead the Jackrabbits to a season-opening 1-0 win over the Cornhuskers.

After Kniesche set Nebraska down in order in the first inning, Carrillo crushed a solo shot with one out in bottom of the first to give the Jacks a 1-0 advantage.

SDSU had an opportunity to add to its lead in the second. Emma Osmundson walked to begin the inning then moved to second on a Chiara Bassi sacrifice bunt. Osmundson moved to third on a single by Cheyanne Masterson, then Masterson advanced to second on the same play. However, the Jackrabbits attempted a squeeze play with their next batter, but were doubled up on a pop-up in the infield.

Kniesche cruised through the first three innings facing the minimum nine batters. Nebraska produced its first hit in the fourth, but left a runner on second to end the inning.

SDSU had two clutch plays behind Kniesche over the next two innings. The first was on the opening at-bat of the top of the fifth which saw Jozelyn Carrillo make a jumping catch at the wall on the center field warning track to at least save the lead-off hitter getting on base. The sixth inning began with Nebraska hitting a lead-off single courtesy of Katelyn Caneda. The Husker then moved to second on a wild pitch. Caneda sat on second base with one out, but Nebraska's Billie Andrews lined into a 4-6 double play starting with Mia Jarecki and ending on the second base bag with Rozelyn Carrillo.

The Huskers had one runner reach base in the seventh by a hit by pitch with two outs. Kniesche forced a fly out on the next Nebraska at-bat to close out the 1-0 shutout for South Dakota State.

Kniesche threw all seven innings and struck out five batters while giving up just one free base on the hit by pitch. Masterson finished with a team-high two hits while Jarecki also singled in the contest.

Notes (Game 1)

SDSU improved to 3-20 all-time versus Nebraska. Its three wins have come in the two sides' last four meetings.
The shutout for Kniesche was the 17th of her college career.
The victory was the first for the Jackrabbits under the guidance of head coach Kristina McSweeney.

Game 2 (vs. Houston)
The Jackrabbits scored the game's first three runs against the Cougars, however Houston battled back and took the matchup in nine innings by a 5-4 score.

Houston began the bottom of the first by loading the bases with no outs, but SDSU pitcher Grace Glanzer navigated the threat by not allowing a runner to cross home and got out of the first unscathed.

The Jacks scored the game's first three runs over the course of the next two innings. In the top of the second, Emma Osmundson scored on a passed ball and Cheyanne Masterson scored on an RBI single by Lindsey Culver. SDSU extended its lead to 3-0 on an Osmundson single that scored Rozelyn Carrillo.

The margin remained 3-0 until the bottom of the fifth when a two-run single by the Cougars made it 3-2. Houston's Ja'Naiya Thomas hit an RBI single with two outs in the seventh to tie things at 3-3 and force extra innings.

Following 1-2-3 innings by both sides in the eighth, the Jackrabbits took a 4-3 advantage in the ninth. Tori Tollefson connected on a pitch resulting in an RBI double. The lead wouldn't last long.

The Cougars came to bat in the bottom of the ninth and put a runner on second with one out. A Houston RBI single tied the game, then an ensuing double and walk loaded the bases. Britaney Shaw hit an RBI single for the Cougars to close out a win for the hosts.

Notes (Game 2)

Houston and SDSU met for the first time on Friday. The Cougars improved to 1-0 with the win while the Jackrabbits dropped to 1-1.
Osmundson registered a team-high two hits for the Jacks. Tollefson finished 1-for-2 at the plate for SDSU with two walks.
Glanzer went 8 1/3 innings for the Jackrabbits. She gave up give five earned runs on nine hits while walking and striking out five batters apiece.

Up Next
South Dakota State travels to Huntsville, Texas, for a pair of games on Saturday. The Jackrabbits face UTSA at 3 p.m. followed by a 5:30 matchup against Sam Houston.

-GoJacks.com-