ST. PAUL – South Dakota State rebounded from a series-opening shutout to claim a victory on Saturday against St. Thomas and force a rubber game on Sunday. The Jackrabbits fell 6-0 to the Tommies to begin the series, then ended Saturday's doubleheader with an 8-5 win at St. Thomas' South Field.
Game One
South Dakota State produced just five singles at the plate while St. Thomas scored six runs in the opening three innings en route to a 6-0 result.
The Tommies scored a trio of runs in both the first and third innings, while recording six of their eight hits in the game across the first three innings, to jump ahead.
South Dakota State left nine runners stranded on base over the course of seven innings. Mia Jarecki had three of the Jackrabbits' five hits.
Madi Mangulis made the start for the Jacks in the circle and took the loss. Hailey Herman highlighted SDSU's pitching efforts with three shutout innings of relief.
Game Two
The Jackrabbits scored three runs over the last two innings to break up a tie and claim an 8-5 victory.
SDSU jumped out to a 4-0 edge with four runs in the second frame. Alivya Bollen hit an RBI single, Akayla Barnard followed with an RBI double, then a two-run double off the bat of Emma Vike put the Jacks in front.
The Tommies scored two runs in the bottom of the inning before another RBI single by Bollen in the top of the fifth made it 5-2 in favor of the Jackrabbits.
South Dakota State pitcher Sylvia Shromoff had a strong start in the circle before running into trouble in the bottom of the fifth. A three-run home run ended her day after 4 1/3 innings of work as the two sides stood tied at 5-5.
Tayler Baker came on in relief and got SDSU out of the inning with the Tommies stranding runners on second and third.
The sixth saw the leadoff batter in Jarecki get hit by a pitch. Vike crushed a pitch down the right-field line scoring Jarecki as her RBI triple put SDSU in front, 6-5. Vike then dashed home on an infield grounder and beat the throw to the plate, giving Brooke Dumont an RBI and the Jacks a 7-5 advantage.
Barnard hit a solo home run in the seventh to give SDSU a three-run cushion.
Baker was in line for the victory as the Jackrabbits brought Amanda Vacanti in to pitch in the sixth. Vacanti threw consecutive 1-2-3 innings to capture the first save of her college career.
Vike, Barnard and Bollen had two hits apiece for the Jacks. Vike finished with three RBIs, while Barnard and Bollen each drove in two. Alli Boyle was 1-for-1 with a run scored and two walks.
NOTES
The Jackrabbits are now 21-19 overall on the season and 6-2 in Summit League play. The Tommies are 20-16 (5-3).
St. Thomas' win was the first between the two sides during the Tommies' Division I era. SDSU stands at 9-1 all-time against St. Thomas with both members of the Summit League.
Vike had a team-high nine-game hitting streak end to begin the series.
Dumont's 25-game reached base streak continued through Saturday's doubleheader.
Vacanti now has a team-low 3.40 ERA in 16 appearances this season. Shromoff follows her in ERA 3.99 across 26 1/3 innings.
UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits and Tommies square off in the series finale Sunday. The two teams meet for first pitch at South Field at 11 a.m.