BROOKINGS — Abby Gentry’s RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted South Dakota State over South Dakota in the Summit League Tournament on Thursday afternoon at Jerald T. Moriarty Field.

Gentry came to the plate with the bases loaded in the 13th and ripped a single into center field and that allowed Mia Jarecki to jog home to give the Jackrabbits the win.

Gentry’s heroics would not have happened if the Jacks did not come back two different times during the game. However, SDSU was the team that scored first as the Jacks broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning.

Alli Boyle hit a one-out single right past the pitcher to give SDSU a runner in the fourth. She then made her way around the bases on a double from Akayla Barnard and the Jacks led 1-0 heading into the fifth.

Each team went down one-two-three in the fifth. USD would then gain the lead in the top of the sixth. Madison Evans hit a single to lead off the inning and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. She worked her way to third on an infield single from Ella McGee and then scored on an error by Boyle. White then hit a double to right center and both McGee and Villotta scored to make it 3-1.

SDSU would answer with two runs of its own to tie the game. Brooke Dumont led off the half inning and launched one over the left field wall to make it 3-2. Gentry then hit a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Alli Boyle. Emma Christensen and Baynard then drew back-to-back walks to load the bases up with one out. Quinn Marnocha pinch ran for Gentry and Madi Conklin hit her home with a single and that made it 3-3 heading into the seventh.

Neither team scored in the seventh and that sent the game to extra innings. The ‘Yotes then scored two runs in the top of the ninth after neither team scored in the eighth. Abi Brown hit a single with one out and Brylee Hempey pinch ran for her. She was able to come home after Rylie Jones hit a single to right field and Keira Carrillo had an error. Jones then came home on a wild pitch and USD took a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Jarecki walked with one out and then Dumont came to the plate with the Jacks down to their final out. She unloaded on a pitch to left center field, clearing the wall with ease and tying the game at 5-5. Gentry singled next but the Jacks were unable to bring her home and the game headed to the 10th. 

Each team had a baserunner in the 10th but was unable to send them home. The Jacks had runners on the corners with two outs in the 11th but Boyled grounded out. Conklin doubled with two outs in the 12th and Claire Wynja pinch ran for her and was caught stealing.

Jarecki singled with one out in the 13th. Emma Vike then followed with a single and Dumont walked to set up the bases loaded at bat for Gentry.

The Jacks had 14 hits as a team. Dumont was 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Gentry was 4-for-7 with an RBI. Barnard was 1-for-4 with an RBI and Conklin was 2-for-6 with an RBI. Boyle was 1-for-5 and Jarecki and Vike were each 1-for-6.

Tayler Baker got the start for the Jacks. She pitched the first five and a third innings and then came back and pitched the final four innings. In total she gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Madi Mangulis pitched the other three and two thirds innings and gave up two unearned runs on two hits with one strikeout and one walk.

The No. 2 seeded Jackrabbits will play top-seeded Omaha in the winners bracket on Friday at 1 p.m. The loser of the game will play the No. 3 seeded Coyotes in an elimination game as USD avoided elimination on Thursday night with a win over North Dakota.