JACKS SHATTER RECORDS IN TWO-WIN GREELEY SHOWING

Saturday, March 7

Greeley, Colo.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

13-11

Drake

4-11

South Dakota St.

Drake

A softball player wearing an SDSU uniform stands on the field holding a glove out to the side, with a dirt infield and outfield fence visible in the background.

Emma Christensen

Photo by: Jesus Ayala

3/7/2026 10:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Pedersen

GREELEY, Colo. – The South Dakota State softball team won a pair of games on Saturday, with its night cap featuring multiple single-game records broken, as the Jackrabbits competed at Northern Colorado's Gloria Rodriguez Field. SDSU opened the day by defeating Drake 5-3, then toppled Northern Colorado to close the night by a 24-2 score.

Game One
South Dakota State rode a strong outing from Akayla Barnard in the circle, and did enough at the plate, to claim a 5-3 victory over Drake.

The Jackrabbits got on the board in the first. Amanda Vacanti hit an RBI single and Alivya Bollen drove a run in on a fielder's choice to put SDSU ahead 2-0.

Barnard had a strong opening four innings. She allowed three hits, and just one runner reached third base, and kept the Bulldogs scoreless in that stretch.

SDSU added another two runs to its tally in the fourth. Emma Christensen hit an RBI double and Bria Riebel followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0.

The score was 4-1 heading into the sixth inning when SDSU's Quinn Marnocha hit a solo home run. Her first-career homer made it a 5-1 game.

Drake added a run in the sixth and a solo home run to begin the seventh ended Barnard's showing on the rubber for the Jackrabbits. South Dakota State went to senior Madi Mangulis to close the game out. Mangulis would allow one hit, but eventually completed her third save of the season to help SDSU clinch the 5-3 win.

Barnard improved to 3-1 this season for the Jackrabbits. She pitched six-plus innings and allowed three runs on eight hits and a walk. Barnard also struck out four batters.

Seven Jackrabbits combined for eight hits. Barnard had a team-best two while five different Jacks scored runs.

Game Two
South Dakota State obliterated multiple records en route to its 24-2 victory over Northern Colorado.

SDSU scored 12 runs on 12 hits in the first inning. The Jackrabbits did all of that with two outs already recorded.

The frame saw Akayla Barnard hit a two-run home run, Kendall Daniel crushed a three-run home run and SDSU combined to hit four doubles.

The 12-run inning tied the third most in a single frame in program history.

South Dakota State continued its tear at the plate over the next three innings. The Jackrabbits scored five runs in the second, three runs in the third and four runs in the fourth inning.

SDSU gave up two runs in the bottom of the first, but otherwise kept the Northern Colorado lineup in check. The Bears produced just six hits in the five-inning game. Amanda Vacanti was credited with the win after throwing three innings of scoreless relief.

The Jackrabbits obliterated multiple single-game hitting marks. South Dakota State's 24 runs are four more than their previous record of 20. SDSU tallied 28 hits, nine more than their previous record in a game of 19. The Jacks also set new single-game records in RBIs (24), doubles (7) and total bases (46).

Eight different Jacks had multi-hit performances Vacanti, Barnard, Daniel, Marnocha, Christensen, Emma Vike, Ella Berlage and Abby Gentry. Vacanti was 4-for-4 at the plate and Gentry was 3-for-3. Barnard registered five RBIs while Daniel drove in seven RBIs. Daniel tied SDSU's single-game program record in RBIs, matching Rozelyn Carrillo's record set in 2022.

Daniel also tied 10 previous SDSU players with a record four runs scored in the affair. Christensen, Barnard and Vacanti all had three runs apiece.

NOTES

South Dakota State improved to 14-11 with a pair of victories on Saturday.
SDSU's 12-run first inning in its night cap matched its most in nearly 10 years. The Jackrabbits also had a 12-run inning against Creighton on Feb. 27, 2022, in a game they won 18-0.
The Jackrabbits' single-inning record for runs scored is 13. SDSU scored that total in an April 30, 2016, victory over Purdue Fort Wayne as well as in a April 24, 2015, win that came by an 18-4 score against Mount Marty.
SDSU's 24-run effort ranks among the best at the NCAA Division I level this season. The 24 runs are the sixth highest total by a team. The Jacks' 28 hits and 10 doubles in the game are both the most by a team this season. Their 46 total bases would currently rank fourth in a single game during the 2026 slate.
Both Delaney Madson and Grace Proctor recorded a hit and RBI in the game for the Jacks. Those were the first of each for the SDSU sophomore and freshman, respectively, in their college careers.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State closes out its stay in Colorado on Sunday participate in the Rams Invitational hosted by Colorado State. The Jackrabbits will take on Drake at 11 a.m. CT followed by an 1:30 p.m. meeting versus Colorado State in Fort Collins.

-GoJacks.com-