JACKRABBITS WIN PAIR IN KENTUCKY ON SATURDAY

Saturday, March 16

Lexington, Ky.

9 a.m.

South Dakota State University

14-18

Columbia

4-10

South Dakota St.

Columbia

Brooke Dumont

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

3/16/2024 6:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Pedersen

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The South Dakota State softball team received solid efforts in the circle, along with consecutive games with strong performances at the plate, en route to two victories on Saturday at the John Cropp Classic. The Jackrabbits earned a 9-0 run-rule victory over Columbia to begin the day, then defeated Ohio State 7-3 at Kentucky's John Cropp Stadium.

Game One (vs. Columbia)
A Mia Jarecki lead-off home run put the Jackrabbits ahead of the Lions one batter into the contest and SDSU never looked back in its win over Columbia.

The Jackrabbits broke the game open with a six-run third inning. Jarecki hit a one-out double and scored on an RBI sacrifice bunt by Akayla Barnard. With two outs, a Rozelyn Carrillo single plated Barnard to make it 3-0. SDSU had two runners on base when Brooke Dumont hit a blast over the fence for a three-run home run. Jocelyn Carrillo capped the scoring with a solo home run, putting the Jackrabbits on top 7-0.

Barnard got the start for the Jacks in the circle. She breezed through the first three innings before facing a threat in the fourth. Columbia loaded the bases with one out, but Barnard struck out two straight Lions to prevent any damage.

Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Jackrabbits closed out the meeting in the sixth. Rozelyn Carrillo hit a solo home run to push the edge to 8-0. Dumont followed her with a single, then Jocelyn Carrillo singled to put two Jacks on base. An RBI double by Alli Boyle pushed the lead to 9-0.

Barnard pushed through for a complete-game performance for the Jacks. Two runners got on base for the Lions, and Columbia nearly had a bases loaded opportunity, but an outfield assist by Jocelyn Carrillo who threw a runner out at third halted a Columbia rally.

South Dakota State finished with 12 hits as a team in its 9-0 victory. Jarecki and Rozelyn Carrillo each had three-hit games, while Dumont and Jocelyn Carrillo had two-hit efforts. Barnard improved to 4-2 on the season in the circle. She gave up four hits and two walks while striking out six batters.

Game Two (vs. Ohio State)
The Jackrabbits scored the game's first seven runs and kept the Buckeyes at bay in a 7-3 win over Ohio State.

A Lindsey Culver second-inning solo home run put SDSU in front, 1-0. Boyle got the Jacks going in the third with a lead-off double and she was eventually plated on a two-run home run courtesy of Jarecki.

The Jacks scored four runs in the fifth. Jarecki, Rozelyn Carrillo and Emma Osmundson all reached base with one out. Culver earned a bases-loaded walk for SDSU's first run of the frame. A sacrifice fly by Abby Gentry gave SDSU its second run to make it 5-0. Dumont would clear the bases with a two-run double to push the Jackrabbits on top by a 7-0 score.

Starting pitcher Shannon Lasey produced a strong outing for the Jacks. Lasey was stellar through five innings as she gave up just one hit, along with one runner that was able to reach third base, during the stretch. She struck out four batters in the opening five innings along with walking just one hitter.

Lasey ran into trouble in the sixth and gave way to Hailey Herman. The freshman pitcher allowing a single and RBI groundout, but got three outs with a limited amount of damage given up as the Buckeyes scored three in the frame.

SDSU had just one hit in the top of the seventh to bring the Buckeyes back up for the bottom of the inning. Ohio State would get a walk in the bottom half, but Herman retired the side to close out a win for the Jackrabbits.

Culver went 3-for-3 at the plate for South Dakota State. She along with Dumont and Jarecki had two RBIs apiece. SDSU had eight hits in the game. Lasey earned her fourth victory of the season. She threw five-plus innings giving up three runs on two hits, two walks and two hit batters while striking out four. Herman pitched two innings and allowed a walk and a hit while striking out a batter. SDSU split its matchups against Ohio State, previously falling to the Buckeyes 10-8 on Thursday.

South Dakota State is now 15-18 overall this season.

Up Next
The Jackrabbits close out their stay at the John Cropp Classic on Sunday. SDSU is slated to play Columbia again at 10 a.m. in Lexington.

-GoJacks.com-