UMKC poured it on late in Game 1 to run away with a 9-1 win, but Pam Nicholson tossed a three hit gem in a 4-0 Game 2 win to give South Dakota State a doubleheader split on Friday at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.
The Jacks end the day with an 8-18-1 overall record and a 3-8 mark in The Summit League, while the preseason league favorite Kangaroos end the day with a 16-20 overall record and a 4-7 record in league play.
Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning in the opener, Allison Huffman drew a leadoff walk to breakup UMKC starter Deanna Friese's perfect game. Tina Winter hit into a double play in the next at bat.
Sammy Bingham came up next, and broke up the no-hit bid with a triple down the left field line, and then scored in the next at bat, when Krista Honken reached on an error.
The 'Roos answered with three runs in their next at bat, and then put the game away with five runs in the seventh.
Friese finished the game with just the one hit in seven innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts to get the win.
The Jackrabbits got Game 2 going in the third inning, scoring a pair of runs on three hits to take a 2-0 lead. Marlee Petersen opened the frame with a single and then advanced to second on an infield single from Devon Reick.
Emily Weber moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice hit, which set the stage for Morgan McCabe, who doubled them both home to put the Jacks up 2-0 after three innings.
Still up 2-0 in the sixth, the Jacks used a pair of Kangaroo miscues to plate a couple of insurance runs on a Honken double and a Kelly Kleppin single to go up 4-0.
Nicholson scattered three hits in her second complete game shutout of the season, giving up one walk and posting four strikeouts.
Petersen and Elyse Eitel both went 2-for-3 to lead the offense, with Eitel adding a couple of superb plays on defense at third base to keep runners off the base path.
The Jackrabbits and Kangaroos play the rubber game of the three game series on Saturday at noon.
