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South Dakota State kicks off Summit League play for the first time in its history on Friday, when the Jackrabbits play the first of three games against Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah.
The Jacks and Thunderbirds open conference play with a doubleheader on Friday at 2 p.m. MT, before playing a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m. MT.
SDSU returns to action on Monday with single games against BYU at 2 p.m. MT, and on Tuesday against Utah State at 4 p.m. MT, both in Provo.
Before leaving Utah for more Summit League play, the Jacks play a doubleheader at Utah Valley State on Wednesday in Orem at 3 p.m. MT.
The Jacks open league play with a 5-13 overall record, after posting a 1-4 record last week at the Shocker Invitational in Wichita, Kan.
SDSU opened the tournament against the host Shockers and scored first, but Wichita State capitalized on a trio of Jackrabbit miscues to score four unearned runs in the win. Jacks could only muster single runs in the first, third and the sixth innings in the loss.
The Jacks opened day two of the tournament against Iowa State, and fell into an early 6-1 hole. SDSU battled back to tie the game at six, but ISU scored six in the fourth and three in the fifth to secure a 15-7 win.
Brooke Postma tied the SDSU career steals record in the second game of the day in a non-conference match-up against UMKC, but the Jacks came up on the short end of a 5-2 game.
SDSU met Iowa State again on Sunday, but the Cyclones pounded out 17 hits and utilized five Jackrabbit errors to win the game 12-5.
The lone win of the weekend came in another non-conference battle with UMKC. The Jacks trailed 3-0 early, until they came through with a six-run third inning. Dani Broshar broke the game open with a bases loaded triple, and the Jacks never looked back.
Sam Heinzman leads the Jacks into conference play with a .379 batting average, including three doubles, a triple and a homerun. Ashley Durazo enters the week batting .375 with four doubles, three triples and a team- high 13 RBI.
Jenna Marston continues to carry the pitching load in 2008 with a 5-10 record in 16 starts, 15 complete games and 103 innings pitched.
Marston, who came into the season with a 2.94 career earned run average, enters the week with a 5.10 ERA.
IN TRANSITION – The 2008 season marks the final year of transition for South Dakota State into the NCAA Division I level in all sports – Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) for football.
SDSU previously competed at the Division II level as a charter member of the North Central Conference.
THE SUMMIT LEAGUE – South Dakota State began play in The Summit League in 2007-08, but does not become eligible to compete in the league’s postseason tournament until the 2009 season.
The Jackrabbits competed as independents the last three years.
RABBITS ON THE RADIO – Select Jackrabbit softball games can be heard on GoJacks.com and/or KBRK-AM 1430.
The broadcasts, with Tyler Merriam or Dellas Cole doing the play-by-play, begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch.
THE JACKRABBIT EXTRA ON GoJacks.com – Subscribers to The Jackrabbit Extra on GoJacks.com can listen to select games on GoJacks.com.
The broadcasts, with Tyler Merriam on the play-by-play, begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch.
To learn more about the Jackrabbit Extra, or to subscribe, click on the link at the top of the page.
JACKRABBIT SOFTBALL STADIUM – Located just north of Coughlin Alumni Stadium, the Jackrabbits played their first game in Jackrabbit Softball Stadium on April 20, 2007, and finished their first season on the new field with a 5-6 record.
ON THE BASE PATH – It took the aptly named Jackrabbits 60 games in 2006 to break the SDSU record for steals in a season with 82, a record that did not even last a full season.
It took the Jacks just 45 games to equal the 82 steals record and 46 games to break it. By the time the season ended after 49 games, the 2007 Jackrabbits set a new single-season record with a total of 99 stolen bases.
Junior speedster Brooke Postma made the biggest dent in that total, swiping an SDSU single-season record 27 bases in 28 attempts.
JACKRABBIT OUTFIELDERS ‘STEAL’ THE SHOW – Junior Brooke Postma tied Ashley Kalina (47 steals from 2002-05) for the SDSU career record last weekend against UMKC, and enters this week needing just one more to set the a new SDSU career mark.
Postma entered the season with 41 career steals, including 14 in 2006, and an SDSU single-season record 27 in 2007.
Brittany Postma stole ten bases as a freshman, 25 last year as a sophomore and added four more so far in 2008 for a career total of 39, good for fourth all-time.
Sam Heinzman went 13-for-21 in steals as a freshman, and then came back to go 14-for-17 as a sophomore. Her team-high seven stolen bases in 2008 gives her 34 career steals, good for sixth all-time.
The three Jackrabbit outfielders entered their junior seasons on pace to finish their careers ranked one, two and three in career steals at SDSU.
MARSTON IN CAREER TOP 10s – Junior pitcher Jenna Marston enters the week ranked fourth all-time at SDSU with seven shutouts, sixth all-time with 272 strikeouts, seventh with 26 wins and 10th with a .274 opponents batting average.
Since the start of the 2008 season, Marston moved from out of the top-ten in innings pitched to eighth with 415. She also ranks sixth with 64 starts enters the week tied for seventh with 88 appearances.
SCHWEDHELM IN CAREER TOP 10s – Senior Kiley Schwedhelm set a Jackrabbit record in 2006 with 20 sacrifice bunts and entered the 2008 season ranked fifth on the all-time list with 32, four shy of the record.
In addition to sac bunts, Schwedhelm’s seven career sac flies ranks second all-time, one shy of the record. She also ranks fifth in times hit by a pitch with nine.
Since the start of the 2008 season, Schwedhelm cracked the top-ten in games started with 182 (9th) and games played with 185 (10th).
Schwedhelm needs four more at bats to crack the top ten in that category as well.
More than just a hitter, Schwedhelm ranks second all-time at SDSU, with 1.24 walks per seven innings pitched.
THE SERIES vs. SOUTHERN UTAH – First Meetings
SOUTHERN UTAH THIS SEASON – The defending Summit League champion Thunderbirds entered the week with a 4-16 record and riding an eight-game losing streak.
Five of the T-Birds losses came at the hands of ranked teams, including a pair of losses to top-ranked and defending national champion Arizona, No. 4 Arizona State, No. 6 Northwestern and No. 16 Washington.
Brittany Henderson leads the SUU offense with a .273 batting average, including a double and four RBI.
Kristina Brooks handles the bulk of the pitching duties, and enters the week with a .439 ERA in 83 innings pitched.
THE SERIES vs. BYU – First Meeting
BYU THIS SEASON – The Cougars, who enter the week with a 12-10 overall record, play Nebraska on Friday and Saturday in Las Vegan, Nev., before hosting on the Jacks on Monday in Provo, Utah.
BYU spent last weekend at the Aggie Classic in College Station, Texas, where they posted a 1-4 record, including loss to the host No. 3 Texas A&M and to No. 22 Louisiana-Lafayette.
Angeline Quiocho leads four Cougars batting over .300 with a .249 average, including three doubles, ten homeruns and 16 RBI.
Christina Trice leads the pitching staff with a 1.29 ERA in 14 appearances. She enters the week with a 6-3 record in eight starts and 65.1 innings pitched with a pair of complete game shutouts.
THE SERIES vs. UTAH STATE – First Meeting
UTAH STATE THIS SEASON – The Aggies, who play Oregon State, Oregon and Washington this weekend at the Cascade Clash, entered the week with a 3-9 overall record after dropping two of three games last week at Colorado State.
Michelle Workman leads three Aggies batting over .300 with a .333 batting average in eight games. Emily Reilly started started all 12 games so far this season, and enters the week with a .324 batting average and 12 RBI.
Lindsey Benson leads the pitching staff with a 4.17 ERA in 11 starts. Benson also owns all three of the Aggies wins this season.
THE SERIES vs. UTAH VALLEY STATE – Series tied 1-1. Utah Valley beat the Jacks 2-1 on April 29, 2006, but SDSU evened the series on the next day with a 4-3 win.
UTAH VALLEY STATE THIS SEASON – The Wolverines, who play three games against UNLV and one against Nebraska this weekend in Las Vegas, enter the week with a 4-12 overall record after dropping two of three games last weekend at the UC-Riverside Tournament and a single game against Iowa.
Alli Bramwell leads four players hitting over .300 with a .346 batting average. Heidi Stocks enters the week with a .333 average, including a team-high seven doubles, one homerun and 11 RBI.
Stocks also leads the Wolverine pitching staff with a 3.95 ERA, despite an 0-4 record in eight appearances, four starts.
Bramwell enters the week with a 4.51 ERA, but with a 4-3 record, lays claim to all four of the team’s wins, including a complete game shutout against the College of Idaho.
For the complete softball weekly release, click on the link below.
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Courtesy: South Dakota State University
