Jacks drop rubber game to UMKC in nine innings

Saturday, April 3

Jackrabbit SB Stadium

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

UMKC

4/3/2010 6:00:00 PM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

The South Dakota State softball team thought pink on Saturday against UMKC, but ended up seeing red, as the Kangaroos scored three unearned runs in the seventh inning force extra innings and then scored three more in the ninth to win the rubber game of the three game series 7-4.

The Jackrabbits fall to 9-21 overall with the loss, 3-3 in The Summit League, while UMKC improves to 10-23 overall and 5-7 in league play.

Down to their last strike on three separate batters in the top of the seventh, the Kangaroos capitalized on a Jackrabbit error to score three unearned runs in the inning to tie the game at 4-4 and force extra innings.

Still tied at 4-all heading into the ninth, UMKC used a pair of hits and one SDSU error to plate the deciding three runs of the game.

The Kangaroos scored first in the top of the first go up 1-0 and it stayed that way until the Jacks plated three runs in the bottom of the third inning to go up 3-1. Tina Winter led-off the inning with her first-career homerun, a no doubt shot over the fence in centerfield. Ashley Durazo knocked in the other two runs with a single through the left side that scored Andrea New and Devon Reick.

The Jacks stretched the lead to 4-1 in the fifth, when Dani Broshar hit her team-leading fifth homerun, a two-out blast over the fence in left field.

Winter led the SDSU offense with a 3-for-4 day at the plate and the homerun. Durazo and Broshar both finished 2-for-5, Durazo with a pair of RBI and Broshar with one.

Kori Seidlitz got the start for the Jacks and pitched seven and a third innings with nine hits and four runs, one earned. She struck out six and walked one, but got the no decision. Pam Nicholson gave up two hits and three runs, two earned, in an inning and two-thirds of relief to take the loss.

The Jackrabbits return to action on Monday, when they start a seven game road trip at Northern Iowa. The Jacks and Panthers doubleheader gets started in Cedar Falls, Iowa at 3 p.m.