SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team wrapped up its 2016 season on Saturday with Senior Day and Parent's Day while hosting Colorado Mesa and MSU Denver.
Although the Yellow Jackets fell 9-8 to No. 18 Colorado Mesa and 9-0 to MSU Denver, the Green and Gold shared many smiles, laughs and tears with families and friends present.
The Senior Day presentation honored student trainer Alyssa Egan along with the three playing seniors Carlee Beck, Katie Campo and Erica Everson. Kaitlin Farrar, who spent the season as an assistant coach after graduating in December was also honored Saturday. Farrar, who had a career-ending injury and sped up her graduation. Farrar threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Everson with her teammates looking on.
Campo and Everson end their careers resetting the Yellow Jacket record books in almost every offensive category.
Game One: Colorado Mesa 9 Black Hills State 8
Colorado Mesa went ahead 2-0 over two-and-a-half innings until the Yellow Jackets hung three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.
Morgan Smith bunted to get on base and was pushed to second base on a Katie Campo single. Alex Wiley then singled through the right side of the infield scoring Smith. Two batters later, Lauren Lesniak pounded a double to left-center field, scoring Campo and Wiley for the 3-2 lead of the 18th ranked team in the nation.
Showing their prowess, the Mavericks hung a six spot on the scoreboard in the next half inning, taking an 8-3 lead.
Black Hills State answered back again in the bottom of the fourth with four runs of their own. With Claire Fergusson on third base and Campo on second, Alex Wiley reached base on an error scoring both runners. The next batter, Erica Everson, hit a homerun towards Lookout Mountain in straight-away centerfield for two more runs to pull within one run at 8-7.
Colorado Mesa scored one more run in the sixth frame for a 9-7 lead. The Yellow Jackets tacked one more run on in the bottom of the seventh when Katelyn Odle tripled down the right field line and scored on a Pamela Sakuma groundout.
The Yellow Jackets tallied 10 hits in the game with two each from Campo and Sakuma. Stefanie Witman was the Yellow Jackets starter while Carlee Beck came on for 3.1 innings of relief. McKenzie Surface was the pitcher of record for CMU, collecting her 17th victory of the year. ?
Game Two: MSU Denver 9 Black Hills State 0
The Yellow Jackets struggled offensively, tallying five hits. The hits each came from Smith, Campo, Everson, Jo-Jo Curry and Fergusson.
Beck was the starter and gave up five earned runs in the outing. Kailey Christensen started for MSUD, giving up five hits and striking out zero to improve to 4-1 overall.
The Yellow Jackets end their season 6-35 overall and 6-28 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Colorado Mesa claimed the 2016 RMAC Championship while MSU Denver will finish in second place after going 4-0 on the weekend.
