After a sweep over St. Thomas last weekend, the SDSU softball team was meant to have its home opener this weekend but instead will be playing their games in Sioux Falls at Bowden Field due to weather. 

The Jacks (20-14, 3-0) were meant to play their first games of the year at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium against Omaha (18-10) starting Friday. They have a doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and play their third game of the series Saturday at 11 a.m.

“Just a bummer, to put it in the best way, that we won’t get to open up at home,” coach Kristina McSweeney said. “But at the same time, a monster weekend for us. This is going to be a huge test for us. Facing Kamryn Meyer, Omaha’s ace, is going to be a test for our offense.”

Meyer was an All-Summit League First Team member for the Mavericks last season and NFCA Central All-Region Second Team and was named Summit League Peak Pitcher of the Week March 27. 

Omaha was picked to finish second in the Summit League behind SDSU after going 17-4 in conference play a year ago. 

“They’re very similar to us offensively, so it’s going to be a battle of the epic ages that I’m excited about for us to be doing,” McSweeney said. “It’s just so unfortunate we can’t do it at home, but please, Jackrabbit fans, come out and watch us. Go out to Sioux Falls, give us the support we need, we’re going to need it.”

The Jacks opened Summit League play on the road last weekend with a sweep over the Tommies (8-24, 0-5). SDSU won 2-0 and 4-1 in its doubleheader Sunday and won 8-0 on Monday, starting off undefeated in the conference.  

Rozelyn Carrillo and Allison Yoder each had four hits for the Jacks in total over the weekend with Jocelyn Carrillo and Lindsey Culver compiling a total of five hits each in three games. 

Tori Kniesche was dominant for the Jackrabbits, pitching 12 innings over the three games. She struck out 19, allowed only two hits and didn’t allow a single run. 

Monday’s win was Kniesche’s second Summit League win of the year, and she is 12-4 overall on the season. She leads the team in ERA at 2.39 and has six shutouts. 

“She was unstoppable,” McSweeney said of Kniesche’s performance. “TK is just that competitor that you look for and she just rises to the occasion.”

Also performing well at the pitcher  position for the Jacks was Shannon Lasey. Lasey transferred to SDSU this season, following McSweeney after playing two seasons under her at Arkansas Tech. She was a two-time all-conference selection and GAC Pitcher of the Year in 2022.  

Lasey allowed two hits and one run in nine innings over the weekend. 

“She has continued to rise to the occasion,” McSweeeney said. “Her and I obviously have a long, long history. But it was a question at the beginning, you know, is she going to be able to come at this level and be as successful as she was at the D-II level? And she has proven time and time that she can compete, and she’s going to compete, and she threw incredible both days. That 1-2 combination is probably the best in the country.”