SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University Softball team stepped outside of RMAC play on Thursday afternoon when they played host to Dickinson State. BHSU fired on all cylinders this go-around against the Blue Hawks after they fell to them 13-5 and 3-1 in Dickinson, N.D. on April 1.
Erica Everson's record-breaking home runs helped lift BHSU to 12-9 and 4-3 wins on Thursday afternoon. The wins boost the Yellow Jackets record to 9-34, 4-28 RMAC while Dickinson State falls to 32-9.
Yellow Jackets 12, Dickinson State 9
BHSU responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning after the Blue Hawks took a 1-0 lead.
Katherine Drake and Stefanie Witman hit back-to-back singles. Drake and McCurn (Witman's pinch runner) each scored on Nia Shumpert's two-run double down the left field line to give the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 lead.
The BlueHawks responded and took a 3-2 lead in the third inning. That lead was short-lived as BHSU responded with eight runs in the bottom of the third inning. Rebecca Green set the tempo with a solo-home run to tie the game 3-3.
A Katie Campo double followed by an Everson single put runners on the corners for Alexis Shaffer. Shaffer reached on a fielder's choice-error that scored Campo to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-3 lead.
Witman's double knocked in Kayla Hallock (Everson's pinch runner) to extend the BHSU lead to 5-3.
Kaitlin Farrar walked to load the bases, which prompted Dickinson State to swap in Regan Lawrence for Alexzandria Watson on the pitching rubber. That didn't matter as Shumpert laced a two-run double that scored Witman and Shaffer to make the score 7-3.
Fergusson and Shumpert touched home plate when Cassie Smith reached on an error to widen the margin to 9-3. Smith advanced to second base on the throw, and came around to score on Green's groundout to make the score 10-3.
BHSU poured more salt on the wound in the fourth inning when Erica Everson torched her 11th home run of the season to widen the margin to 11-3. Everson's home run tied a single-season BHSU record.
BHSU closed the scoring when Carrie Clarke singled, stole second base, and scored on Fergusson's double to make the score 12-3.
The Blue Hawks put together a six-run rally between the fifth and sixth inning to narrow the margin to 12-9, but it wasn't enough.
Everson's three hits led the Yellow Jackets at the plate. Carlee Beck was the winning pitcher for BHSU. She gave up six runs (five earned) on ten hits in 4 1/3 innings of work.
Yellow Jackets 4, Dickinson State 3
Witman took over on the pitching rubber for Shaffer in the second inning. She only surrendered one hit throughout the second, third and fourth inning to keep the game tied 0-0.
That changed in the fifth inning when McKenna Kostelecky singled, stole second base, and advanced to third base when McKenzie Kenobbie reached on an error.
Kostelecky and Kenobbie each scored on RBI-singles from Lawrence and Alex Vargas to give the Blue Hawks a 2-0 lead.
BHSU responded with two runs in the sixth inning. Shumpert led off with a single, and then stole second base. She scored from second on Green's groundout to cut the Blue Hawk lead in half 2-1.
Everson tied the game with her 12th home run of the season, breaking Kelsie Chambers (2011-2012) and Brittany Montgomery's (2007) BHSU single season record. This home run also sent the game into extra innings.
Campo, Everson and Witman hit back-to-back-to-back singles in the eighth inning to load the bases for Smith. With a full count, Smith drew a walk that scored Campo to give the Yellow Jackets a 4-3 victory.
Green led BHSU at the plate with three hits. Witman took the win on the rubber for the Yellow Jackets. She gave up three runs on six hits in seven innings of work.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action tomorrow against University of Colorado Colorado Springs at the Yellow Jacket Softball Complex. Game times are set for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
