SPEARFISH, S.D--The Black Hills State University softball team knew things weren't going to get easier throughout the Desert Stinger Tournament. Awaiting the Yellow Jackets on day two of the tournament was California State University San Marcos and Texas Permian Basin University.
Cal State-San Marcos blanked the Yellow Jackets 11-0. BHSU rebounded in game two with a 15-7 victory over the University of Texas-Permian Basin
Following the contests, the Yellow Jackets improved to 1-3, 0-0 RMAC.
California State University-San Marcos 11, Yellow Jackets 0
Things looked ugly for the Yellow Jackets from the get go as the Cougars jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. The Cougars' first inning runs came from the small ball variety as four of their five RBI's either came from a walk or sacrifice fly.
Back-to-back RBI singles from Brogan Hoenisch and Karla Bernal extended the Cal State-San Marcos lead to 7-0 in the second inning. Devin Vanderhoff made it 8-0 when she scored from third base on a Yellow Jacket throwing error.
Naomi Amu made matters worse in the third inning with a three-run home run over the center field fence to make the score 11-0.
Cassie Smith came up with the only Yellow Jacket hit. Katie Wilkinson and Ashley Dagnais collectively struck out seven batters and walked none on the rubber for the Cougars.
Yellow Jackets 15, Texas Permian Basin 7
The Yellow Jackets jumped off the losing schnide in game two with a 15-7 victory of the University of Texas Permian Basin.
The Falcons had the Yellow Jackets on their toes out of the gates as they jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Texas Permian Basin added another run in the second inning to extend their lead to 3-0 before BHSU found life offensively.
The Yellow Jackets touched the Falcons up for six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Nia Shumpert set the tempo for BHSU with an infield single. She came around to score on Alyx Penrod's two-run home run to narrow the Falcon lead to 3-2.
Claire Fergusson followed that with a double down the left field line. Cassie Smith knocked Fergusson home with a triple to tie the game 3-3. Katie Campo, Savanah Eckhardt, and Erica Everson each walked to load the bases. Campo scored on a passed ball to give BHSU a 4-3 lead.
Eckhardt and Everson eventually scored on a double from Alexis Shaffer to extend the Yellow Jacket lead to 6-3.
Campo extended the score to 9-3 in the third inning with a three-run home run. Katherine Drake closed out the damage in the third inning with a two-RBI double, scoring Reagan McCurn and Eckhardt to make the score 11-3.
The Falcons added a pair of runs in the fourth inning to make the score 10-5. However, BHSU answered with three runs. Campo's sacrifice fly that scored Fergusson made the score 12-5. Eckhardt poured more salt on the Falcon's wound with a two-run home run to extend the Yellow Jacket lead to 14-5.
Texas Permian Basin added two more runs in the fifth inning to narrow the score to 14-7. BHSU closed out the fifth inning with one run to make the score final at 15-7.
Eckhardt surrendered seven runs (two earned) on seven hits in a complete game effort.
The Yellow Jackets close out the Desert Stinger Tournament tomorrow, Sunday Feb. 15 when they face Lubbock Christian University. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m.
