Softball Host First Games of the Season

The Coyote softball team hosted a three-game series on Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, 23 at Nygaard Field in Vermillion against the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

On Saturday, South Dakota played a double header where they won the first game 7-0 and lost the second game 6-5. Sophomore McKenna Young claimed the win in the circle by striking out 10 batters and only allowing three hits.

Senior Tatum Villotta and freshman Madison Evans led the Coyotes with three hits each, and senior Rylie Jones followed with two. Sophomore Autumn Iversen hit a double in the game as well.

Freshman Ella McGee hit a three-run homer in the second to add to the score. McGee and Evans recorded the RBIs in the game with three each.

In the second game of the day, senior Clara Edwards was in the circle for the Coyotes, where she struck out four batters and walked two.

Junior Delaney White led South Dakota with two hits, including one double. Villotta also recorded a double in the fourth inning. 

Jones had a solo homerun in the ninth inning, and McGee recorded a triple in the game. Freshman Sara Iburg and Evans each had one hit.

McGee and Jones scored two of the runs each for the Coyotes, and Iversen scored one. Villotta and White each had two RBIs, while Jones had one.

For the third game of the weekend, South Dakota claimed a 10-2 win against the Fighting Hawks. Young took the circle again, striking out six and only allowing four hits.

The Coyotes recorded a total of 10 hits this game. Iburg knocked a triple and a double in the game, and McGee also hit a double. White led the Yotes with three hits. 

Sophomore Brooke Carey, Iversen and White led South Dakota with two RBIs each. 

The softball team will be back on the field in Vermillion again next weekend, March 29 and 30, against St. Thomas. The first game is set for noon on Saturday.