The Basics
Score: No. 3 South Dakota 7, No. 6 South Dakota State 2
Records: South Dakota (29-20), South Dakota State (11-35)
Location: Ellig Sports Complex – Fargo, N.D.

Fargo, N.D. – No. 3 South Dakota defeated instate rival No. 6 South Dakota State, 7-2 in the opening game of the 2014 Summit League Softball Championship at the Ellig Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

The Coyotes scored early as they plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first off of a lead-off walk and two hits and stayed ahead the rest of the game.  South Dakota extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second, scoring the winning run off of a pair of singles and a hit batter.  USD scored two insurance runs in the fourth and added one in the fifth and sixth.

South Dakota's Rachel Cue, the 2014 Summit League Freshman of the Year, kept South Dakota State hitless until the top of the fourth but couldn't keep the Jackrabbits off the scoreboard as they rallied with two outs in the top of the seventh scoring a pair of runs on three-straight hits.  Cue earned the victory, striking out six, while giving up six hits, two runs and a walk.

Katie Dinning and Christine Broders led the South Dakota offense each hitting 2-for-3 on the day as Dinning added a run and a RBI and Broders scored a pair of runs.

Turning Point
South Dakota took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Morgan Hancock drove in two runs with a double down the right field line.  The Coyotes scored another run in the bottom of the second, which eventually turned out to be the winning run.

Inside The Box Score

• Seven Coyotes recorded at least one hit, including four with multi-hit games.  Katie Dinning, Yvon Minogue, Morgan Hancock and Christine Broders each tallied two hits.
• The Jackrabbits were led by Kelly Kleppin going 2-for-3 with a stolen base.
• South Dakota out hit South Dakota State 11-6.

News & Notes

• South Dakota's Rachel Cue earned all of the Coyotes' victories against South Dakota State this season going 4-0.
• South Dakota State was in action in The Summit League Tournament for the first time since 2010.

Up Next
No. 3 South Dakota takes on No. 2 Fort Wayne at 10 a.m. CT on Thursday, while No. 6 South Dakota State will face No. 5 Western Illinois at 3 p.m. CT.

The Basics
Score: No. 4 IUPUI 10, No. 5 Western Illinois 2 (5 inn.)
Records: IUPUI (23-22), Western Illinois (18-27-1)
Location: Ellig Sports Complex – Fargo, N.D.

Fargo, N.D. – No. 4 IUPUI downed No. 5 Western Illinois, 10-2 in game two of the 2014 Summit League Softball Championship at the Ellig Sports Complex on Wednesday night.

IUPUI scored first in the bottom of the opening frame to take a 9-0 lead.  All nine batters crossed the plate on seven hits, which included three home runs by Ali Mosier, Taylor Chitwood and Eryn Dillon. 

The Jaguars added their final run in the bottom of the fourth as Roni Patterson hit IUPUI's fourth long ball of the game, extending the Jags lead to 10-0.

Western Illinois scored with two outs in the top of the fifth as Monica Rondon pinch hit and crushed a two-run homer over the right field fence, making it 10-2.

IUPUI's Jocelyn Oppenhuis earned the win, striking out seven, while allowing five hits, two runs and a walk.  Mosier led the Jaguar offense hitting 2-for-3 with a homer, a RBI and a run scored.

Turning Point
Western Illinois had runners on second and third with no outs in the top of the first, but IUPUI was able to escape the top half of the inning with the game still 0-0. 

In the bottom half of the inning, IUPUI broke open the scoring as all nine Jaguar hitters scored on seven hits, which included a lead-off home run by Ali Mosier and a pair of three-run homers by Taylor Chitwood and Eryn Dillon.

Inside The Box Score

• Seven Jaguars tallied at least one hit and all nine starters scored at least one run.
• Sammy Marshall, the two-time Summit League Player of the Year, led the Western Illinois offense with a pair of doubles and a stolen base.

News & Notes

• IUPUI played in its first Summit League Tournament game since 2005, while Western Illinois played in its first post-season game since 2010.
• The Jaguars' win marked the program's second post-season victory in its Division I era and first since 1999.
• IUPUI tied The Summit League Championship single-game record with four home runs.
• The Jaguars also tied for the fourth-most RBI (10) in a tournament game and sixth-most runs in a game (10).

Up Next
No. 4 IUPUI is set to play No. 1 North Dakota State at 12:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, while No. 5 Western Illinois will take on No. 6 South Dakota State at 3 p.m. CT.