INDIANAPOLIS—South Dakota softball totaled 26 runs and hit .484 as a team in winning a pair of games at the IUPUI Softball Complex Saturday. The Coyotes beat the Jaguars 17-9 and 9-6 to move past IUPUI and into second place in the Summit League standings. The third and final game of the series begins at 10 a.m. CT Sunday.
In game one, South Dakota senior first baseman
Kayla Fields became the second Coyote on record to go 5-for-5 at the plate in a single game. Her two-run home run in the top of the first inning set the tone in a game in which at least one USD hitter touched home in every inning. It marked the third time this season that the Coyotes (17-25, 8-6 Summit) scored at least 17 runs.
Fields followed her third home run of the season with four singles, two of which scored two runs each. Her six RBIs are a career best and the most in a single game by a USD player this season. Fields joined Katie Dinning, who went 5-for-5 during the 2015 Summit League Tournament, in the five-hit club.
Coyote second baseman
Taylor Steinfeldt also went 5-for-5 Saturday, but needed both games to get there. She had two doubles, was hit by a pitch, and executed a sacrifice bunt in game one. She singled in all three of her at bats in game two. Steinfeldt raised her season average 36 points to .317.
All nine Coyote starters had at least two hits during the twin bill and each scored at least once. Eight of the starters had at least one RBI. Fields finished 7-for-9 with seven RBIs. Steinfeldt scored six times.
Emily Winckler was 5-for-7 on the day with two doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored.
The play of the day came in game two when South Dakota third baseman
Jamie Holscher capped a six-run third inning with a grand slam to center field. It was the first bomb of the season by Holscher and the third slam hit by a Coyote this season. Holscher has hit safely in seven straight.
IUPUI (16-26, 6-5) cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third with back-to-back jacks by Roni Patterson and Maggie Good. It was one of three home runs by Good on the day, upping her season tally to 11. Good was 5-for-6 with six RBIs Saturday while Patterson finished 5-for-8 with all extra base hits.
Christy Warnock's squeeze bunt in the fourth scored Steinfeldt and extended the Coyotes' lead to 7-3. Fields' RBI single to right one batter later made it 8-3.
Morgan Vasa singled and scored in the fifth to make it 9-4.
Megan Green (5-10) pitched the final four innings to earn the win in game two.
Rachel Cue (7-8) tossed the first four innings to win game one. Erica Tharp (7-15) started and took the loss in both games for the Jaguars.
