FARGO, N.D. – The South Dakota State softball team closed its three-game stay at North Dakota State with a victory Monday, winning 6-2 at Tharaldson Park to snap the Bison’s 20-game winning streak.
The Jackrabbits (26-12, 5-4) had five hits and did not commit an error in the win, snapping a three-game skid in the process.
Kendra Conard (10-2) logged her sixth complete game of the year, scattering six hits over seven frames with two runs – one earned – allowed. She struck out three and walked three, rolling up 14 groundouts for her defense.
Five Jackrabbits tallied hits in the game, as Megan Rushing (three RBIs) and Lyndsey Crist doubled. Yanney Ponce and Kerigan Torres each had a single and walk, and Peyton Daugherty added a single with a run scored.
SDSU used a pair of hits and an NDSU error to go up 1-0 in the second. Crist opened the frame with a double off the left-field fence, and, with two outs, Ponce roped a single through the left side. Crist initially held up at third base on the play, but dashed home for the first run of the day as the throw to the plate skipped away from NDSU.
The Bison tied it with a two-out single in the third and took a 2-1 lead in the fourth with another two-out single, but the Jackrabbits regained control with a three-run sixth inning.
Torres started the sixth with a single to center. With one out, pinch-runner Caelyn Christiancy stole second to move into scoring position. Daugherty floated a single to the grass in the next at-bat to push Christiancy to third. After Daugherty stole second, Andersen was intentionally walked to load the bases.
NDSU put the Jacks on the ropes with a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but Rushing sliced a bases-clearing double into the corner in right to plate three runs and give SDSU a 4-2 lead.
Torres’ diving catch in the bottom of the inning was part of a larger defensive effort that helped the Jacks maintain control after NDSU put runners on the corners.
The Jacks tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
After Torres and Ali Herdliska drew back-to-back walks to begin the frame, Daugherty laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw to first sailed wide as the Jacks plated Torres and moved Herdliska to third. Andersen followed with a sacrifice fly to bring Herdliska in, putting the Jacks up four late in the game.
Ahead 6-2 in the final half-inning, the Jacks worked around a leadoff Bison single to secure the win.
Up Next
South Dakota State and UMKC canceled their Wednesday doubleheader in Brookings due to wet field conditions after a late snow storm hit the region last week. The game will not be made up.
SDSU now turns its attention to Friday, when Fort Wayne comes to town to open a three-game series at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium with a noon doubleheader.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 6, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 2
SDSU 010 003 2 – 6 5 0
NDSU 001 100 0 – 2 6 2
Kendra Conard and Mallory McQuistan; KK Leddy, Kara O’Byrne (7) and Maddie Hansen. W – Conard (10-2). L – Leddy (16-7). 2B: SDSU, Lyndsey Crist, Megan Rushing.
