Upcoming Event: Softball versus SMSU on September 14, 2025 at 1 p.m.
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1 p.m.
Softball
vs SMSU
South Dakota State University Athletics
Saturday, March 8
Lincoln, Neb.
4 p.m.
South Dakota State University
vs
Northern Iowa
Madi Mangulis
Photo by: Mario Terrana
JACKS TRAVEL SOUTH FOR BIG RED SPRING FLING
3/7/2025 3:17:00 PM | Softball
South Dakota State begins a busy stretch on Saturday as the Jackrabbits get ready to participate in Nebraska's Big Red Spring Fling at Bowlin Stadium. The schedule, altered due inclement weather in the forecast Friday, has the Jackrabbits playing five games over three days in Lincoln. The Jacks are scheduled to play 12 games in a week-long span.
The Jackrabbits face a competitive field of opponents. SDSU opens the tournament by taking on Northern Iowa at 4 p.m. Saturday, then plays Northern Colorado immediately following. SDSU begins play Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. rematch against the UNC Bears, then is pitted against the host Huskers at 6:30 p.m. The Jacks play UNC at 10 a.m. Monday to close their stay in Lincoln and then head to St. Louis for a pair of games Tuesday.
SDSU has a bit of history with each of its foes in Lincoln this weekend. the Jacks are 7-16 all-time against Northern Iowa and 12-13 versus Northern Colorado. The Jacks played Nebraska in Wichita State's Shocker Invitational last week. SDSU led 5-4 in the seventh inning, but the Huskers tied it on a two-out, solo home run. The Huskers eventually won in extras, 8-5. UNI is 72nd in the NCAA RPI with a 10-5 record, UNC is just ahead of SDSU (180) at 172nd behind a 7-10 record, while Nebraska is as high as 19th in the national polls.
The Jackrabbits, after opening the season with an undefeated four-game showing at East Texas A&M's tournament, are 2-12 since. SDSU did end its last road trip on a positive note, however, by toppling Wichita State by a 6-4 score in the Shocker Invitational finale. It was the Jacks' first win over the Shockers since 2021 and came against a Wichita State team currently ranked in the top 10 of DI Softball's Mid-Major poll.Â
The win over Wichita State featured multiple standout performances. In the circle, Akayla Barnard put together her best effort of the season. She threw her second complete game of her career as she allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and seven walks. SDSU's lineup continued to benefit from the early-season services of Brooke Dumont. The senior is carrying the squad at the plate as she hits a team-high .438 with SDSU bests in hits (21), home runs (6), doubles (6), RBIs (18) and slugging percentage (.938). Her home run total is already a single-season high for the Papillion, Neb., native.Â
Three other Jacks that are in the everyday lineup hit over .300 in Abby Gentry (.348), Amanda Vacanti (.317) and Mia Jarecki (.306). Barnard and Emma Vike each follow Dumont in home runs with three apiece. Gentry is second in RBIs with 11 and Alli Boyle is second in doubles with five.Â
SDSU's pitching staff has a combined 5.34 ERA in 111 1/3 innings thrown through 18 games. Vacanti has a team-low 3.99 ERA. Tayler Baker has accounted for the most innings pitched by a Jackrabbit with 27 1/3 in the midtst of her freshman season.
Coverage Information
Live stats for the upcoming games the Jackrabbits play in are available on the South Dakota State schedule page. SDSU's game versus Nebraska will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. For more information about Jackrabbit softball, you can follow the team social media accounts (@GoJacksSB) or visit the team page at GoJacks.com.
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The Jackrabbits face a competitive field of opponents. SDSU opens the tournament by taking on Northern Iowa at 4 p.m. Saturday, then plays Northern Colorado immediately following. SDSU begins play Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. rematch against the UNC Bears, then is pitted against the host Huskers at 6:30 p.m. The Jacks play UNC at 10 a.m. Monday to close their stay in Lincoln and then head to St. Louis for a pair of games Tuesday.
SDSU has a bit of history with each of its foes in Lincoln this weekend. the Jacks are 7-16 all-time against Northern Iowa and 12-13 versus Northern Colorado. The Jacks played Nebraska in Wichita State's Shocker Invitational last week. SDSU led 5-4 in the seventh inning, but the Huskers tied it on a two-out, solo home run. The Huskers eventually won in extras, 8-5. UNI is 72nd in the NCAA RPI with a 10-5 record, UNC is just ahead of SDSU (180) at 172nd behind a 7-10 record, while Nebraska is as high as 19th in the national polls.
The Jackrabbits, after opening the season with an undefeated four-game showing at East Texas A&M's tournament, are 2-12 since. SDSU did end its last road trip on a positive note, however, by toppling Wichita State by a 6-4 score in the Shocker Invitational finale. It was the Jacks' first win over the Shockers since 2021 and came against a Wichita State team currently ranked in the top 10 of DI Softball's Mid-Major poll.Â
The win over Wichita State featured multiple standout performances. In the circle, Akayla Barnard put together her best effort of the season. She threw her second complete game of her career as she allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and seven walks. SDSU's lineup continued to benefit from the early-season services of Brooke Dumont. The senior is carrying the squad at the plate as she hits a team-high .438 with SDSU bests in hits (21), home runs (6), doubles (6), RBIs (18) and slugging percentage (.938). Her home run total is already a single-season high for the Papillion, Neb., native.Â
Three other Jacks that are in the everyday lineup hit over .300 in Abby Gentry (.348), Amanda Vacanti (.317) and Mia Jarecki (.306). Barnard and Emma Vike each follow Dumont in home runs with three apiece. Gentry is second in RBIs with 11 and Alli Boyle is second in doubles with five.Â
SDSU's pitching staff has a combined 5.34 ERA in 111 1/3 innings thrown through 18 games. Vacanti has a team-low 3.99 ERA. Tayler Baker has accounted for the most innings pitched by a Jackrabbit with 27 1/3 in the midtst of her freshman season.
Coverage Information
Live stats for the upcoming games the Jackrabbits play in are available on the South Dakota State schedule page. SDSU's game versus Nebraska will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. For more information about Jackrabbit softball, you can follow the team social media accounts (@GoJacksSB) or visit the team page at GoJacks.com.
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Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
1B/UT
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF/C
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P/OF
/ Softball
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