BIG FIRST INNING PROPELS JACKRABBITS OVER BISON

Wednesday, May 6

Minneapolis, Minn.

4 p.m.

South Dakota State University

24-32

North Dakota State

27-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
South Dakota St.	10	0	0	0	4	14	12	0
North Dakota St.	0	1	0	0	1	2	7	4

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

5/6/2026 6:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Andrew Pedersen

South Dakota State provided an opening punch with 10 runs in the first inning and cruised from that point as the Jackrabbits defeated North Dakota State, 14-2, in five innings Wednesday to advance in the 2026 Summit League Softball Championship.

Less than a week after dropping a three-game series at NDSU, SDSU didn't waste any time in its first time up to bat.

Senior Emma Vike hit a single on the first pitch of the game and it was more of the same the rest of the frame. The first inning saw Akayla Barnard blast a three-run home run, Alli Boyle plate two runs on a single, Quinn Marnocha produce an RBI single, Emma Vike register a two-run double and Abby Gentry crush a two-run home run. South Dakota State jumped out to a 10-0 start thanks to eight hits, while taking advantage of three Bison errors, as 14 batters came to the plate.

The run production was plenty to work with for starting pitcher Madi Mangulis. The senior allowed one run in the second inning, then escaped a jam in the fourth. The inning saw NDSU get two runners on base with no outs, but a tag at home plate for the first out and a 1-6-3 double play got Mangulis and the Jacks out of the frame unscathed.

South Dakota State tacked on another four runs in the fifth. Gentry led the inning off with a walk and Barnard followed with a single. Amanda Vacanti drilled a three-run home run over the left-field fence to make it 13-1, then a solo home run by Ella Berlage put the finishing touches at the plate.

NDSU added a run to its line in the bottom of the fifth, but Mangulis closed the door on the Bison with a game-ending strikeout to complete the run-rule win for the Jackrabbits.

SDSU improved to 24-32 overall on the season as the No. 6 seeded Jackrabbits advanced in the Summit League tournament. North Dakota State fell to 27-23 overall as the Bison's season came to a close.

Every player in the Jackrabbit lineup tallied a hit as SDSU recorded 12 in the five-inning affair. Vacanti, Barnard and Vike had two hits apiece. Vacanti and Barnard each had three RBIs, while Vike and Gentry drove in two apiece. Gentry was plated a team-high three times.

Mangulis earned the win in the circle. She threw a complete game allowing two runs on seven hits. Mangulis walked three batters and struck out two.

NOTES

South Dakota State's 10 runs in the first inning were its second most in a frame this season. The Jackrabbits previously had a 12-run first inning at Northern Colorado on March 7.
SDSU improved to 3-5 all-time against NDSU in The Summit League tournament. The Jackrabbits have won the last three postseason meetings against the Bison after dropping the first five times the two sides met in the conference tournament. SDSU previously won meetings in 2022 and 2023.
Barnard scored two runs in Wednesday's game. She's now tied for the program's single-season record with Abbey Murphy who set it at 53 in 2018. She's four total bases away from tying the program record of 127 set by Cylie Halvorson in 2021.

UP NEXT
South Dakota State advances to the double-elimination portion of The Summit League Softball Championship. The Jackrabbits will take on No. 2 St. Thomas at 2 p.m. in Minneapolis at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.

-GoJacks.com-

A photo of a woman in a blue softball uniform running and rounding third base

JACKS MEET BISON IN TWIN CITIES TO OPEN LEAGUE TOURNEY

Tuesday, May 05

A woman in a grey softball uniform smiles with her arms raised while rounding the bases

SIX JACKRABBITS RECOGNIZED BY SUMMIT LEAGUE

Tuesday, May 05

A woman in a blue softball jersey with white pants holds a softball above her head to throw a pitch

JACKRABBITS WRAP UP REGULAR SEASON

Saturday, May 02

A woman in a grey uniform with blue details prepares to a throw a softball across the diamond

SDSU DROPS GAME 2 AT NDSU

Friday, May 01

Next Event

St. Thomas

May 7 (Thu)

2 p.m.

Watch Listen Live stats Tickets History

0Days

0Hours

0Minutes

0Seconds

Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Mangulis, Madi (7-7)

L: Jocelyn McClary (12-9)

South Dakota St.

Batting:

2B: Vike, Emma 1 ; Riebel, Bria 1

HR: Gentry, Abby 1 ; Barnard, Akayla 1 ; Vacanti, Amanda 1 ; Berlage, Ella 1

RBI: Vike, Emma 2 ; Gentry, Abby 2 ; Barnard, Akayla 3 ; Vacanti, Amanda 3 ; Berlage, Ella 1 ; Boyle, Alli 1 ; Marnocha, Quinn 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Vike, Emma 2 ; Gentry, Abby 3 ; Barnard, Akayla 2 ; Vacanti, Amanda 1 ; Christensen, Emma 1 ; Riebel, Bria 1 ; Berlage, Ella 2 ; Boyle, Alli 1 ; Marnocha, Quinn 1