Sixth inning surge leads USD softball past UND

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (USD) — South Dakota used a five-run sixth inning with home runs from Allie Cromer and Abi Brown as the Coyotes would pick up their first Summit League series victory with a 7-5 rubber match win against North Dakota Monday afternoon in Grand Forks.

PITCHING DECISIONS

**Win:**Madison Evans (8-13)

**Loss:**Tegan Livesay (11-7)

For the third-straight game, South Dakota plates a run in the opening frame. A lead-off double from Autumn Iversen roped into the right centerfield gap set the scene. Later in the frame, with a pair of runners in scoring position, Sara Iburg put pressure on the UND defense, and an error led to the first two runs of the contest.

Two quick outs from Madison Evans in the circle, including a strike out. North Dakota would make it interesting with four full count at-bats in the frame and would load the bases. But Evans would work out of the early jam with a pop-up to short to end the threat.

Following a lead-off bunt single, Makenna Alexander went yard to center field to knot things up at 2-2 in the bottom half of the third inning. Evans would immediately settle back down and strike out the side after the home run.

Following the first two hits in the first inning for the Yotes, the bats went quiet for four innings as it marked the first time all weekend that a game made it to the sixth inning of play.

Iburg broke that quiet spell with her second of the afternoon in the sixth inning. Evans would become the third Yote with a hit on the day, making it back-to-back hits to get runners on first and second with one away. Another miscue from the Fighting Hawks battery as a passed ball put both Evans and Iburg into scoring position.

For the second time this weekend – and this season – Allie Cromer would go yard and drive in three more runs on the series to give the Yotes the 5-2 lead in the sixth inning.

Following a walk from Delaney White, Abi Brown would join in the home run party from Albrecht Field with a ball to dead centerfield for two more insurance runs as South Dakota would score five runs in the frame and take a 7-2 lead.

Entering the final frame with a five-run lead, North Dakota would look to make the Coyotes earn the series victory. Back-to-back walks to start the bottom half of the seventh would put the pressure on the USD defense to protect the lead. North Dakota would then clear the bases with a three-run home run as Camryn Lasota went yard to make it 7-5.