BROOKINGS, S.D. (USD) — A chilly but sunny afternoon in Brookings for the first game of the Interstate Series set between the Coyotes and Jackrabbits. Runs came in bunches on the day with four multi-run innings combined with for Yotes picking up two RBIs. Tatum Villotta also picks up her 200th career hit as South Dakota (21-14, 4-3 Summit) downs South Dakota State (18-18, 3-1 Summit) Saturday afternoon. South Dakota outhit the Jackrabbits 13-5 as five Yotes tallied a multi-hit game with four driving in two RBIs. The Yotes had six extra base hits on the day: four doubles and two home runs.
A walk and single to start the contest on the freshly dedicated new turf field in Brookings put the Yotes in scoring position early on in the series opener. A productive first out put both runners into scoring position. Madison Evans would help herself out in the circle early on with a two RBI single through the right side as South Dakota proved to be the first team to score on the brand new turf at South Dakota State. The very next batter, Clara Edwards would take State starter Akayla Barnard deep to right center field, as South Dakota quickly doubled their lead to 4-0 in the first. It would force the Jackrabbits to make a pitching change with just one out recorded in the frame. The Jackrabbit offense would plate three runs in the third, the Yotes hindered by a pair of throwing errors. Through three complete, South Dakota held a 4-3 lead. With her single in the fourth inning, Villotta became just the 10th Coyote to eclipse the 200-career hit milestone.
Despite the hiccup in the third inning, Edwards continued to keep the Jacks at bay through five innings of work in the circle. Allowing three hits and just one earned run. In the sixth, Rylie Jones would lead off the inning with a bunt single which would be followed by another single from Autumn Iversen, putting, yet again, a pair of runners on in an inning. The small ball would continue as another sacrifice bunt would put both runners into scoring position with just one down. South Dakota got back on the scoreboard in the sixth when Brooke Carey picked up her first hit of the day with a double over the Jacks right fielders head to make it 6-3 Yotes. SDSU would get a run back in the home half of the sixth with a solo shot to centerfield, making it 6-4 USD through six complete in Brookings. In the seventh, Evans would lead off the inning with just her second double of the season to put herself in scoring position. Jones would follow suit two batters later with a double of her own to push the lead back up to three runs, 7-4. Later in the frame, Iversen would clear the bases with her second long ball of the season as the Coyotes put up their third multi-run inning off the day. Another productive day in the circle for Edwards (11-6), recording her Summit League leading 11th complete game of the season. She allowed the five runs (three earned) on six hits and struck out three Jackrabbits. UP NEXT: The Yotes and the Jacks will conclude the three-game series tomorrow, Sunday, April 6 with a noon first pitch of the twinbill.
