SDSU opened Summit League play with a sweep over Kansas City last Friday and Saturday.
Game One (SDSU 15, KC 0)
A shutout of the Roos set the tone for the three-game series. Abby Gentry opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI single. An Alli Boyle RBI and Emma Vike’s two RBI double quickly made it a 4-0 game. SDSU added four more runs in the fourth inning, then capped it off with an eight-run effort in the sixth, ending the game on the run-ahead rule.
Game Two (SDSU 2, KC 1)
The Roos kept SDSU in check in the second game. An RBI walk by Katie Noble put Kansas City ahead in the third inning, but SDSU responded the next inning to tie the game despite a double play, forcing the game into extra innings. Another RBI by Boyle allowed Brooke Dumont to score in the eighth inning, giving the Jacks a 2-1 victory.
Three pitchers for SDSU split duties, with Amanda Vacanti getting the start. Tayler Becker struck out three batters in the closing innings.
Game Three (SDSU 5, KC 0)
SDSU kept the Roos off the board to close out the series on Saturday. Dumont hit an RBI single in the third inning, followed by four more runs in the seventh. Boyle hit an RBI single and scored two more runs off a Roos error, while Vike had another RBI with Boyle scoring.
Head coach Kristina McSweeney spoke about the team’s performance this week. “When we’re able to do the things that we’ve worked on, so runner at third, find a way to put the ball to the other side of the field. Bases loaded, single to the right side, you know, those are the things that are going to help us out in the long run. We’ve got to be able to do those things to stay in this.”
Two SDSU pitchers had complete games in the series with Akayla Barnard doing so in the first game on Saturday, and Sylvia Shromoff in the Saturday evening game.
The sweep leap-frogs the Jacks to first place in the Summit League, improving to 18-17 overall.
South Dakota
SDSU is back on the mound this weekend with a three-game series against South Dakota in Brookings. USD is tied for fourth place in the Summit League with Omaha and holds a 20-14 overall record.
Tatum Villotta stands out as one of the USD’s top batters. The senior infielder has started in all games this season, leading the team in runs scored, hits and slugging percentage. With a .409 batting average so far this season, Villotta leads the team starters. McKenna Young holds the Summit League’s third-best ERA at 1.93, allowing only 22 earned runs in 15 starts. Young is also one of two pitchers in the conference to strike out more than 100 batters.
A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday with first pitches at noon and 2 p.m. Sunday’s game is slated for an 11 a.m. first pitch. The games will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
