USD softball finishes 2-0 on second day in Florida

USD softball finishes 2-0 on second day in Florida The University of South Dakota softball team earned two Division I wins at the Rebel Spring games in Kissimmee, FL on Sunday. USD beat Youngstown State University 9-4 in the first game and then defeated Bryant University 6-3 in game two. In the first game, USD had 14 hits and was led by Tagney Jones (Jr., Lincoln, NE) who was three-for-four and Rachel Fricke (Jr., Monroe, NE) who went two-for-four with four RBI. In the first inning, YSU scored one run but the Coyotes had their bats swinging scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Alexa Rudeen (Fr., Sioux City, IA) led off the inning with a double to left center and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Callie Roan (Jr., Sioux City, IA) then singled through the right side to score the first run of the inning. Later in the inning, Fricke had an RBI single which was later followed by an RBI from Alaina Novotny (So., Omaha, NE). The last run of the inning was scored off a Dani Bahlmann (Jr., Marshall, MN) single through the left side. USD added three more runs in the second inning which was highlighted by Fricke's three-run homer, marking her first homerun of the season. The Coyotes added one run in the third and one in the fourth inning. In the third inning, Lexie Eversley (So., Yankton) had an RBI double while Bre Zmoleck (Fr., Brookings) earned the RBI in the fourth. The Penguins scored three runs in the fifth inning off four hits and one error, while leaving three on base. Brittany Donohue (Jr., St. Paul., MN) earned the win on the mound pitching four innings with three strikeouts and allowing six hits. In her first appearance of the season, Mel Johnson (So., Sioux Falls) earned the save as she went three innings with four strikeouts. In the second game, USD scored its first two runs in the third inning as T. Jones singled up the middle to knock in the first run while the second run was scored on a RBI double from Johnson. Bryant, who scored one run in the second inning, went up 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. The Coyotes however rallied to score three runs in the top of the sixth. Novotny doubled down the left field line to score two runs and the third run of the inning was scored on a Bryant error. USD added an insurance run in the seventh off a Bahmann single up the middle. South Dakota finished the game with 13 hits. T. Jones and Johnson each had three. Cortney Heim (So., Plattsmouth, NE) pitched a complete game having nine strikeouts and allowing just five hits.