Jacks walk-off with season-ending win

Saturday, May 7

Jackrabbit SB Stadium

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Oakland

5/7/2011 5:27:00 PM | Softball

By: SDSU Sports Info

Pam Nicholson not only pitched nine innings the South Dakota State softball team's final game of the season, but she also knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Jackrabbits a walk-off win on senior day against Oakland by the score of 3-2.

Fittingly, senior Greta Stroh, who went 1-for-4 in her final game as a Jackrabbit, ended her career by scoring the game-winning run. The Jackrabbits other senior, Ashley Durazo went hitless in the game, but reached on an error and scored a run in the first inning.

That lone run held up for the Jackrabbits held up until the top of the sixth inning, when Oakland's Erika Polidori broke Nicholson's streak of 24 straight scoreless innings with a two-run homerun over the fence in left that put the Golden Grizzlies up 2-1.

The OU lead did not last though, as Marlee Petersen tied the game with her second homerun of the season, and in as many days. A solo opposite field shot with two outs that tied the game at 2-2.

Still tied in the bottom of the ninth, and with two outs, Stroh reached on an error to start an SDSU rally. Morgan McCabe followed that up with a pinch-hit singe that advanced Stroh to third, and set the stage for Nicholson, who delivered a single up the middle to score Stroh and end the game, season and the careers of the two seniors.

The Jacks finish the season with a 13-41 overall record, 9-15 in The Summit League, while Oakland closes the 2011 campaign with a 17-29 overall record, 8-16 in league play.