SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University softball team experienced the positive side of history throughout the last couple games. From Nia Shumpert breaking the single-season hits record to Erica Everson accomplishing that feat in the home runs category, the Yellow Jackets were destined for positive team results.
That proved to be the case as BHSU accomplished two milestones during their 10-6 and 7-0 wins over University of Colorado Colorado Springs at the Yellow Jacket Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.
BHSU now owns a four-game winning streak, their longest since they strung six wins together in 2010. The Yellow Jackets now have six RMAC wins, tying their 2012 mark of six for most conference victories.
The Yellow Jackets improve to 11-34, 6-28 RMAC while UCCS falls to 17-26, 15-21 RMAC.
Yellow Jackets 10, UCCS 6
The Mountain Lions took a quick 3-0 lead after the first two innings of play, but that lit the fuel for the Yellow Jackets.
The third inning saw the Yellow Jackets notch a pair of runs. Katherine Drake set the tempo with a walk, followed by a Claire Fergusson single to put runners on first and second.
After Shumpert reached on a fielder's choice, Rebecca Green singled to load the bases. Everson answered with a two-run double that scored Fergusson and Shumpert to cut the Mountain Lion lead to 3-2.
One off inning usually put the nail in the coffin in most games for the Yellow Jackets this season. This time, it was BHSU that delivered the dagger with a seven-run fifth inning.
Cassie Smith and Alexis Shaffer each registered a pair of RBI to pace BHSU's seven-run fifth inning that gave them a 9-3 lead.
The Yellow Jackets added another run in the sixth inning when a pitch hit Green followed by singles from Campo and Everson loaded the bases.
Stefanie Witman knocked home Green with an RBI-single to make the score 10-3.
Kylie Barnard's seventh inning three-run home run narrowed the BHSU lead to 10-6 before they held on to the victory.
Everson paced BHSU with a 4-for-4 day at the plate. Carrie Clarke registered the complete game victory on the pitching rubber. She gave up six runs on seven hits while striking out three.
Yellow Jackets 7, UCCS 0
Kaitlin Farrar allowed four hits and struck out six Mountain Lions to give BHSU their first shutout victory of the season.
Smith and Fergusson each singled to put runners on base for Shumpert, who hit a three-run inside the park home run to give BHSU a 3-0 lead in the second inning. The inside the park home run was Shumpert's second of the season.
Shaffer clubbed a two-run home run in the fourth inning to extend the Yellow Jacket lead to 5-0. Smith, who singled, also scored on the play.
BHSU added a pair of runs in the fifth inning when Campo, Everson and Smith loaded the bases. Everson and Campo came around to score when Shaffer reach on an error to widen the Yellow Jacket lead to 7-0.
Smith registered two hits to lead the Yellow Jackets offensively.
BHSU will close the 2015 season tomorrow, April 25, when they host UCCS. Game times are at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and not 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tomorrow will be Senior Day at the Yellow Jacket Softball Complex.
