SDSU SPLITS DAY TWO GAMES IN ARLINGTON

Saturday, March 14

Arlington, Texas

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

15-15

Columbia

5-11

Columbia

South Dakota State

A woman in a blue softball uniform is crouched down to field a softball that bounces towards her while on a dirt infield

Bria Riebel

Photo by: Miranda Sampson

3/14/2026 6:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Pedersen

ARLINGTON, Texas – The South Dakota State softball team split a pair of games on Saturday at the Maverick Invitational hosted by UT Arlington. The Jackrabbits opened the day with a 4-3 win over Columbia, then fell to the host Mavericks by a 6-4 score at Allan Saxe Field.

Game One
South Dakota State fell down 3-0 following the first inning, but rallied back to earn a 4-3 victory over Columbia.

The Lions scored three runs on three hits and a walk to jump ahead early. Freshman Grace Proctor took over in relief in the midst of the first inning and put together a stellar appearance in just the second showing of her college career.

Proctor would give up just five hits over a stretch that spanned 6 2/3 innings. She didn't allow a run while she struck out two batters. Proctor hit one batter but didn't allow a walk as she kept the Jackrabbits in it.

SDSU cut the margin to 3-2 in the second inning as Emma Christensen hit an RBI single and Abby Gentry plated a run on a sacrifice fly. Emma Vike tied the score in the third behind an RBI single.

Cece Hanson crossed home plate on a Columbia fielding error in the fourth to give the Jackrabbits a 4-3 advantage.

The Jackrabbits kept the Lions off the board the rest of the way. The top of the seventh saw Columbia get the tying run to third base with two outs, but Proctor forced a flyout for the final out of the game.

Proctor picked up her first victory of her career in the circle for SDSU. Columbia's pitching staff gave up just three hits to the Jackrabbit lineup. Alli Boyle had SDSU's other hit in the ballgame.

Game Two
UT Arlington scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning, which proved to be decisive, in its 6-4 win over South Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits got on the board first in the top of the second. A pair of RBI singles by Abby Gentry and Bria Riebel put SDSU in front, 2-0. A solo home run hit by UT Arlington's Peyton Holland made it 2-1 heading to the third.

The third inning saw SDSU's Proctor chased from her first-career start. The Mavericks eventually drew four walks and two hit by pitches, to go along with two hits, to score five runs and go ahead 6-2.

SDSU scored two runs in the fifth. Amanda Vacanti hit a sacrifice fly and Ella Berlage followed with an RBI single to cut the score to 6-4.

The Jackrabbits had an opportunity in the sixth but couldn't capitalized. They had one runner thrown out at home for the first out of the inning. SDSU had the bases loaded but a strikeout ended the threat.

South Dakota State had nine hits in the defeat to the Mavericks. Riebel had a team-high three hits while Gentry tallied two. Quinn Marnocha, Vacanti, Berlage and Vike made up for the others.

South Dakota State is now 15-16 overall on the season.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State makes its final appearance at the Maverick Invitaitonal on Sunday. The Jackrabbits take on Columbia in a rubber match at 11 a.m. at Allan Saxe Field.

-GoJacks.com-