LEXINGTON, Ky. The South Dakota State softball team won its final three games at the John Cropp Classic on Saturday and Sunday.
SDSU picked up two wins over Columbia and a win over Ohio State.
Saturday
SDSU 9, Columbia 0 (6 inn.)
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.
SDSU 7, Ohio State 3
The Jackrabbits scored the games 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 SDSUs 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.
Sunday
SDSU 9, Columbia 1 (5 inn.)
Three players produced multiple hits and another strong outing in the circle helped propel the South Dakota State softball team to a 9-1 win over Columbia on Sunday, March 17, in five innings. The game served as the finale for the Jackrabbits at Kentuckys John Cropp Classic at John Cropp Stadium.
SDSU jumped ahead in the first inning following a 1-2-3 top of the first thrown by starter Shannon Lasey.
The Jackrabbits first two batters in the bottom of the first recorded outs, but Emma Osmundson kept the inning alive with a walk. Shed be plated on an RBI triple by Lindsey Culver to give SDSU the lead. Brooke Dumont then hit a double to score Culver, giving the Jacks a 2-0 lead.
Columbia made it a 2-1 game in the second behind two hits and a walk, but Lasey limited the damage by getting a pop-out and strikeout to leave two Lions runners on base.
An Alli Boyle single to begin the top of the second eventually was scored on an RBI double by Mia Jarecki.
A quick inning for Lasey in the top of the third led to a four-run bottom of the third for the Jackrabbits. Osmundson began the frame with a solo home run, then was followed by a Culver double. Boyle hit an infield single that Culver scored on, Madi Conklin smacked an RBI single, while Cheyanne Masterson connected on a two-run triple to push South Dakota State out to a 7-1 advantage.
Lasey again retired the Lions in order in the fourth. SDSU added two runs in the bottom of the inning. Osmundson doubled with one out. She scored on an RBI double from Culver and a Boyle sacrifice fly with the bases loaded pushed the Jacks on top, 9-1.
Lasey ran into trouble in the fifth. Columbia had a runner reach base on a walk, get two runners on thanks to a double then a fielders choice loaded the bases with one out. The Jackrabbits closed out the game in five innings thanks to a 4-6-3 double play turned by Jarecki, Rozelyn Carrillo and Boyle.
Culver spearheaded the Jackrabbit lineup. She went 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles and a triple. Culver scored three runs and had two RBIs. Osmundson and Boyle were each 2-for-2 hitting with Osmundson scoring three runs and Boyle two.
Lasey earned her second consecutive victory and improved to 5-8. She allowed just three hits and a run in the complete-game performance. She struck out two batters and walked two.
South Dakota State improved to 16-18 overall on the season after a 3-2 trip in Lexington, Ky.
Three Jackrabbits continue to lead the team in hitting in Culver (.385), Jarecki (.381) and Osmundson (.360). Culver paces SDSU in home runs (7), RBIs (32), runs (25) and slugging percentage (.729). Jarecki is tied for the team high in runs and leads the Jacks in hits (40). Osmundson has also scored 25 runs while she has a team-best 25 doubles.
Up next
South Dakota State begins conference play next weekend. The Jackrabbits are scheduled to play in Vermillion against the Coyotes from March 23-24.
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