FAYATTEVILLE, Ark. The South Dakota State softball team went 3-3 at the Woo Pig Classic over the weekend.
The Jackrabbits fell to No. 15 Arkansas on Thursday but then beat the Razorbacks on day three of the tournament. SDSU swept a pair of games against Southeast Missouri but lost two games against Florida Atlantic in the tournament.
Thursday
Arkansas 4, SDSU 3
South Dakota State battled to the end against No. 14 Arkansas but fell 4-3 on Thursday, Feb. 29, to the Razorbacks in the opening game of the Wooo Pig Classic at Bogle Park.
SDSU got the scoring started thanks to the first batter of the day. Leadoff hitter Mia Jarecki sent a 1-2 pitch over the left-field fence to give the Jackrabbits an early 1-0 advantage.
Arkansas responded with three runs in the bottom of the first behind a two-run home run and sacrifice fly to go up 3-1.
Jocelyn Carrillo crushed a solo home run in the second for the Jackrabbits to make it a 3-2 score.
SDSU starting pitcher Shannon Lasey had a strong outing for the Jacks. Two runners got on base in both the bottom of the second and third innings, and each time, Lasey worked around the threat to get out of the frames.
The top of the fourth saw the Jackrabbits tie the score. Rozelyn Carrillo hit a one-out single and Jarecki got on base via walk. With two outs, Akayla Barnard hit a single through the left side to score Carrillo and tie it at 3-3.
Arkansas took the final lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth. Two consecutive two-out doubles put the Hogs ahead 4-3. The Razorbacks went to pitcher Hannah Camenzind who worked the final 3 1/3 innings and picked up the win by not allowing a hit during her span in the circle.
Lasey pitched a complete game for the Jackrabbits. She allowed four runs on seven hits. Lasey walked four batters and struck out one. Despite the solid performance, she was credited with the loss, falling to 2-3 this season.
Seven different Jackrabbits collected hits in the game. Barnard had a team-high two for SDSU.
Friday
SDSU 9, Southeast Missouri (5 inn.)
The Jacks got on the scoreboard first in their opening contest of the day versus the Redhawks. Two hits, an error and a set of RBIs produced by Lindsey Culver, Alexa Williams and Abby Gentry put SDSU ahead 3-0 in the first inning.
SDSU starting pitcher Tori Kniesche avoided allowing any runs to cross home after a runner reached base in both the first and second innings. She cruised through the third by striking out the side then allowed just a single in the top of the fourth.
The Jackrabbits scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth frame. Walks drawn by Brooke Dumont, Mia Jarecki and Emma Osmundson loaded the bases. Culver hit into a fielders choice, but drove in a run in the process, while Jocelyn Carrillo hit a sacrifice fly to put SDSU on top 5-0.
Kniesche walked two hitters in the fifth, but forced an inning-ending pop up to prevent any damage.
SDSU closed the game out in the bottom of the inning. Gentry reached base on an error, Rozelyn Carrillo hit a single and Dumont walked to load the bases for Jarecki. The Jackrabbit second baseman took a 2-2 pitch and crushed a home run over the left-field fence. Jareckis grand slam ended the meeting versus SEMO with SDSU claiming a 9-0 victory.
Jarecki had a team-high two hits and four RBIs for the Jackrabbits. She also scored two runs. SDSU produced six hits while drawing seven walks.
Kniesche improved to 5-4 in the circle after a solid performance. She gave up three hits in five innings of work. Kniesche struck out seven hitters and walked three.
Florida Atlantic 8, SDSU 5
FAU jumped ahead early against SDSU and held off the Jackrabbits en route to an 8-5 win for the Owls.
Florida Atlantic, now 15-4 overall on the season and in the midst of a seven-game win streak, took advantage of four hits and three walks to score five runs in the top of the first. Another two singles and two walks in the top of the second pushed FAU ahead 6-0, though an outfield assist by Jocelyn Carrillo on a play at the plate prevented the Owls inning from continuing.
The Jackrabbits got on the board in the third. Jarecki hit a lead-off triple and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by Akayla Barnard. Osmundson and Carrillo each hit singles in the inning, but were left stranded on base.
SDSU got within striking distance in the fourth. The Jackrabbits loaded the bases and an RBI groundout by Barnard cut the score to 6-2. With two outs, Culver came up and hit a triple which drove in three Jackrabbit runs.
The 6-5 score didnt last for long. A walk to begin the top of the fifth eventually saw a runner get to third with two outs. Another walk and subsequent stolen base saw runners placed on second and third. SDSU nearly got out of the inning, but an infield error allowed the Owls on base to score and put FAU ahead 8-5.
The Owls received a stellar relief appearance from Ainsley Lambert to close the door on the Jackrabbits. Lambert pitched three innings of shutout relief and she struck out six of the 10 batters she faced.
Osmundson had a team-high two hits in the second game of the day for the Jackrabbits. Jarecki was plated twice. Lasey was credited with the loss in the circle for SDSU. Barnard threw 3 1/3 innings of relief. She allowed a run on four hits but didnt give up a walk. Williams pitched three innings and allowed two runs (none earned) on three hits and three walks.
Saturday
SDSU 9, Southeast Missouri 1 (5 inn.)
Multiple Jackrabbits stood out in South Dakota States run-rule victory over the Redhawks to begin the day in Fayetteville.
SDSU got out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Mia Jarecki and Akayla Barnard hit back-to-back singles, then Emma Osmundson drove both Jackrabbits in with a two-run double. Lindsey Culver crushed a two-run home run to push SDSU ahead 4-0. A Brooke Dumont walk, along with Jocelyn and Rozelyn Carrillo reaching the base, loaded the bases. Abby Gentry ended the scoring in the frame with an RBI groundout.
Jarecki and Barnard again hit consecutive singles in the top of the second. Jarecki eventually was plated in the inning on a throwing error to push the Jackrabbits to a 6-0 advantage.
Barnard began the game in the circle for the Jackrabbits. After a scoreless first inning, the SEMO scored one in the second off of three hits. Barnard was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam with an inning-ending strikeout.
The Jackrabbits turned to Hailey Herman in relief for just her third appearance of her college career. The freshman pitcher was stellar for South Dakota State. She wound up pitching three innings and allowed just one hit in the span. She also struck out three Redhawks and didnt allow a free pass as she controlled the game in the circle.
SDSU put the finishing touches on the 9-1 victory in the fourth and fifth innings. Osmundson hit an RBI double and Culver drove in a run on a single as the Jacks scored two in the fourth. An RBI single by Jarecki in the fifth wrapped up the opening game of the day for the Jackrabbits.
The South Dakota State lineup combined for 13 hits against SEMO. Jarecki had a career-high four hits in the game, the first-four hit showing at the plate by a Jackrabbit this season, to go along with three runs scored. Osmundson and Culver each had two hits and three RBIs apiece. Barnard and Rozelyn Carrillo had a multi-hit games while Hailey Herman, who pinch hit, recorded the first hit of her college career.
Barnard was credited the win for her start in the circle, pushing her to 3-1 on the season.
SDSU 8, Arkansas 7
South Dakota State rallied from a three-run deficit and picked up its highest-ranked victory of its program history on Saturday when the Jackrabbits topped No. 15 Arkansas, 7-3, on its home field.
The Razorbacks got off to a strong start in the bottom of the first. Two walks led up to Kennedy Miller at bat who drove a three-run home run over the left-field foul pole. It put Arkansas ahead, 3-0.
SDSU responded in the second inning. Brooke Dumont and Abby Gentry each hit singles, while Cheyanne Masterson walked, to load the bases for the Jacks with one out. Another walk, this time drawn by Jarecki, plated SDSUs first run of the game. An RBI single by Barnard scored pinch runner Emma Christensen, then Osmundson hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 3-3.
SDSU starting pitcher Tori Kniesche found her groove in the second inning. She walked just one batter in the second and struck out two of three hitters she faced in the third before the Jackrabbit lineup struck again.
Jarecki hit a one-out single in the top of the fourth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Barnard. With two outs, Osmundson smacked an RBI single to right field to score Jarecki and give the Jackrabbits their first lead, 4-3. Culver came up next and extended the margin, drilling a 1-0 pitch over the center-field fence to push SDSU edge to 6-3.
The extra runs provided plenty of insurance for Kniesche. She avoided any threat over the next two innings. Kniesche stranded a Razorback runner at third in the fifth and forced Arkansas to leave two runners on base in the sixth.
Culver hit a double in the top of the seventh. After a sacrifice bunt by Jocelyn Carrillo, Rozelyn Carrillo hit a single up the middle to plate Culver and put the Jackrabbits on top 7-3.
Kniesche wrapped up a complete-game performance in the seventh. She got a strikeout and flyout to begin the frame, though Arkansas picked up a double and walk to stretch the game out. An infield groundout finally ended the contest.
The Jackrabbits picked up their first nationally-ranked win of the season and second ever in their Division I era. It was SDSUs highest ranked victory with the Jacks defeating No. 20 Baylor a season ago in Waco, Texas. South Dakota State is now 2-26 all-time against ranked opponents at the Division I level.
Kniesche had a strong effort in the circle for South Dakota State. She allowed three runs on seven hits and seven walks, while she struck out nine batters. Kniesche improved to 6-4 on the season.
SDSU outhit the Razorbacks 8-7 in the contest. Culver had two of the Jackrabbits hits, while her and Osmundson drove in two runs apiece.
Sunday
Florida Atlantic 7, SDSU 2
South Dakota State cut into a multiple run deficit in the fifth inning, but a three-run bottom of the frame was enough for Florida Atlantic to close out a 7-2 win over the Jackrabbits on Sunday at Bogle Park. It was both teams last game at the tournament hosted by Arkansas.
Florida Atlantic took the lead in the second. A walk and a single to begin inning led to an RBI groundout for the first run of the contest. With one out, the Owls produced an RBI single to extend the lead to 2-0. FAU made it a 3-0 score in the third when the Owls Kam Jackson hit a two-out single, stole second, then was advanced all the way home on just the second hit of the inning.
The Jackrabbit lineup was held hitless through four innings. SDSU finally got in the column along with earning its first run when Brooke Dumont hit a solo home run to lead off the fifth. Rozelyn Carrillo followed Dumont with a double to put a runner on second. She advanced to third on a flyout and was plated on a sacrifice fly by Cheyanne Masterson, cutting the FAU advantage to 3-2.
SDSU starting pitcher Shannon Lasey had kept the Jackrabbits in the game through four innings of work, but gave way to the bullpen. The Owls struck big at the plate with three runs on three hits, along with a walk, to push the score up to 6-2. FAU added a run in the bottom of the sixth to its line for insurance.
Masterson and Jocelyn Carrillo also recorded hits for a combined four among Jackrabbit batters. Lasey was given the loss in the game as she allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Kierra Goos pitched a third of an inning and Alexa Williams finished the final 1 2/3 innings in the circle for SDSU.
The reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Year, FAUs Gabby Sacco, improved to 6-2 as she started and pitched the first five innings. Ainsley Lambert, who threw three scoreless innings versus the Jackrabbits on Friday, pitched another two in Sundays win for the Owls.
The Jackrabbits are now 11-12 on the season.
Emma Osmundson continues to lead the Jackrabbits in hitting with her .431 batting average through 23 games. She has a team-high 20 runs scored and 11 doubles.
Lindsey Culver (.394) and Mia Jarecki (.377) follow Osmundson on the SDSU batting chart. Culver has a team-high four home runs and 23 RBIs. Jarecki has 18 runs scored and three triples, while both players have three home runs.
Freshman Akayla Barnard has a team-high four triples and 12 walks. Dumont, who hit her first homer of the year on Sunday, is second on the team in both walks (10) and doubles (4).
The pitching staff has been led by Tori Kniesche who holds a 6-4 record in 13 appearances. She holds a 3.00 ERA and has five complete games.
Up next
South Dakota State will play opponents from the ACC in back-to-back series. The Jackrabbits are slated to play a three-game series at Duke from March 8-9, then face Florida State in a doubleheader on March 12 in Tallahassee.
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