SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University softball team stepped outside NCAA Division II play on Wednesday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets traveled east on I-90 to Mitchell, S.D. to take on Dakota Wesleyan University.

The Yellow Jackets closed their 12-game road stand with 12-2 and 11-6 wins at Dakota Wesleyan University. The wins snap a 17-game losing streak that dates back to Mar. 14 when BHSU defeated Colorado School of Mines 12-8 

BHSU improves to 6-27, 3-21 RMAC.

Yellow Jackets 12, Dakota Wesleyan 2 

Nia Shumpert set the tone for BHSU with a leadoff single in the first inning. She came around to score on Cassie Smith's single up the middle to make the score 1-0. Stefanie Witman later knocked in Smith on a single to extend the BHSU lead to 2-0. 

The Tigers cut the BHSU lead in half in the bottom of the first inning to make the score 2-1, but the Yellow Jackets added two more runs in the second inning.

Reagan McCurn widened the BHSU lead to 3-1 when she stole home; Claire Fergusson was caught stealing second on the play. Shumpert later tripled and scored on Smith's single to make the score 4-1.

Shumpert's triple gives her four on the season, breaking a Black Hills State University single-season record.

The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 8-1 in the third inning, paced by RBI-singles from Shumpert and Katie Campo. BHSU plated the other two runs on a fielder's choice and an error.

Dakota Wesleyan responded with one run in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 8-2, but a four-run BHSU fifth inning put the nail in the coffin. Erica Everson and Campo drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to make the score 10-2. 

Back-to-back RBI-singles from Katherine Drake and Kaitlin Farrar made the score 12-2.

Farrar surrendered two runs on six hits in a complete game effort on the pitching rubber for the Yellow Jackets. Shumpert led BHSU offensively with a 4-for-4 outing at the plate.

Yellow Jackets 11, Dakota Wesleyan 6

BHSU set the tone again with two runs in the first inning. A Smith single, followed by back-to-back walks from Everson and Campo loaded the bases. Stefanie Witman's walk plated Smith to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead. Campo later scored on a Tiger fielding error to extend BHSU's lead to 2-0. 

The Yellow Jackets added four runs in the second inning to make the score 6-0, but the Tigers got within two runs to make the score 6-4 after the second inning.

This didn't faze the Yellow Jackets as they responded with two runs in the third inning. Shumpert reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Smith's triple to make the score 7-4. Smith scored on Everson's groundout to widen the BHSU lead to 8-4.

The Tigers added a run in each the third and fourth inning to narrow the margin to 8-6. The Yellow Jackets responded in the fifth inning when Claire Fergusson singled and came around to score on a wild pitch to make the score 9-6.

BHSU closed the game's scoring with two sixth inning runs. Drake reached on fielder's choice and scored on Farrar's triple to make the score 10-6. Farrar scored on McCurn's groundout to make the score 11-6. 

Witman gave up six runs (two earned) on seven hits in a complete game effort in the circle for BHSU. Shumpert and Smith each registered three hits to lead the Yellow Jackets offensively.

BHSU will return to the Yellow Jacket Softball Complex on Saturday, Apr. 11 when they'll host Colorado Christian University. Game times are set for 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.