Coyote Softball Competes at Paladine Classic
Beginning on Friday, March 1, the USD softball team took part in the Paladine Classic in Greenville, South Carolina. The Coyotes played Akron and Furman during the three-day tournament, in which they went 2-2.
The first game against Akron was originally supposed to take place on March 1 at 4:30, but due to weather conditions, the game was postponed.
On Saturday, March 2, South Dakota took on Akron at 11:30, in which the Coyotes claimed a 3-1 victory. Junior pitcher Clara Edwards and senior pitcher Kori Wedeking took the circle during the game. Edwards pitched the first four innings, striking out four batters and allowing four hits. Wedeking pitched the last three innings, allowing one run and three hits.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. Junior infielder Riley Jones knocked in freshman outfielder Autumn Iversen for a RBI single. In addition, senior outfielder Gabby Moser hit a two-run homerun to get the Coyotes to three runs.
Later that day, USD took on Furman at 4:30, where they fell short 3-2. The Coyotes only put four hits on the board. Jones put down a squeeze bunt to score the first run of the game.
Freshman pitcher McKenna Young tied the game 2-2 with an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning. Senior outfielder Alecea Mendoza and freshman catcher Abi Brown each had a single in the fourth inning.
Young pitched the first three innings and only allowed two runs. Sophomore pitcher Madi Mangulis took the loss as she allowed one run on three hits.
Sunday morning at 10, South Dakota faced Akron, where they fell 6-4. Wedeking took the loss and pitched a complete game, allowing six runs and walking two.
Moser knocked in the first run of the game with an RBI double, and sophomore infielder Delaney White had a sacrifice fly. This put the Coyotes up 2-0.
Akron tied the game in the fourth inning, but USD came back and made the game 4-2 by a two-run homerun from Moser. Akron responded with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a homerun to score the final run for Akron.
The last game of the weekend started at 12:30 on Sunday, March 3, against Furman. South Dakota came out on top 3-2.
Edwards pitched six innings and struck out eight batters while walking one. She claimed the win while allowing nine hits.
White and Jones each had a single in the bottom of the sixth. Following them, Iversen walked to make the bases loaded. Senior outfielder Alexia Terrazas hit a two-RBI single to put the Coyotes ahead 2-1.
In the seventh, Jones brought in another run bringing the score to 3-1. Furman had scored one run in the bottom of the inning, which only put them one behind. Furman had the bases loaded, but Young came in for relief and struck a batter out. Edwards then came back and USD secured the win.
The Coyote softball team will be back in action at the Tennessee Invitational in Knoxville. They play the first game of the tournament at 11:30 against Ohio State.
