SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University softball team split day two with New Mexico Highlands by scores of 14-3 and 6-0 to earn its second victory of the weekend.

Black Hills State improves to 5-23 on the season and 3-17 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference while New Mexico Highlands falls to 12-25 overall and 9-15 in RMAC action.

Game One: NMHU 14 BHSU 3

The Cowgirls jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. Jamie Weatherbee started for NMHU hitting a single up the middle to land on base. On a 1-2 count for Christian Bobian, Weatherbee stole second. Bobian then reached base on an error by the Yellow Jackets. The next at-bat, Katelyn Bates hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Bobian and Weatherbee.

With runners on second and third, Victoria Gonzales reached first on an error by BHSU advancing Bobian to third and scoring Weatherbee for a 1-0 lead. Jade Callister stepped up to the plate and reached on a hit by pitch loading the bases. Breanna Cabrera followed behind Callister reaching base on a fielder's choice allowing Callister to advance to second and scored Bobian. From there, the Cowgirls scored two more runs to go up 4-0 over the Yellow Jackets.

In the second inning with one out, Bobian stepped up and walked. Bates hit a single to left field to advance Bobian to second. Gonzales scored Bobian with a single to left center and pushed Bates to second. The following two batters behind Gonzales tallied the last two outs for the Cowgirls.

Trailing 5-0 in the second inning, Kindall Bethke led off with a single to third base. Katelyn Odle stepped up to the plate and singled to the pitcher to push Bethke to second. The next at-bat, Morgan Smith singled through the right side to load the bases. Maddie Druse hit a three-foot single to the pitcher allowing Bethke to score and kept the bases loaded.

From there, Claire Fergusson grounded out but pushed Odle to score and advanced Druse and Smith to second and third. A ground out by Lexi Baker pushed Smith to score and moved Druse to third to trail 5-3 after two innings.

From there, NMHU went on to score runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings to claim the 14-3 victory.

Bethke, Odle and Smith went 1-for-2 from the plate and each tallied a run for Yellow Jackets.

Stefanie Witman was charged with the loss after pitching four innings while Madison Davis picked up the win for NMHU.

Game Two: BHSU 6 NMHU 0

After a scoreless two innings, the Yellow Jackets bats came alive scoring three runs in the third.

Pamela Sakuma led off for the Green and Gold drawing a walk to land on first base. A wild pitch by the Cowgirls advanced Sakuma second. Baker stepped up and struck out but reached first on a wild pitch pushing Sakuma to scoring position at third base. The next at-bat, Witman reached on an error by the defense scoring Sakuma and advancing Baker to second.

With two outs, Bethke singled to third base loading the bases placing Witman and Baker at second and third. Then Morgan Smith stepped up, reached first on a throwing error by the Cowgirls, and advanced to second due to the error. The two errors advanced Bethke to third and pushed Witman and Baker home to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Alex Wiley led off with a single to left field advancing to second on an error by New Mexico Highlands. The next at-bat, Witman grounded out to second but advanced Wiley to third. Bethke scored Wiley on a single up the middle to increase the BHSU lead 4-0.

With a full count, Smith drew the walk to move Bethke to second. Catcher Maddie London doubled advancing Smith to third and scored Fergusson, who pinch ran for Bethke, to lead 5-0.

In the sixth inning, Baker led off with a single to the shortstop and stole second to get closer to scoring position. A ground out from Witman advanced Baker to third. Bethke stepped up and singled up the middle scoring Baker to earn the last run and claim the 6-0 victory.

Bethke went 3-for-4 from the plate tallying two RBIs while Baker went 2-for-4 but tallied two of the six runs for the Yellow Jackets. Wiley, Witman, Fergusson and Sakuma tallied the other four runs.

Wiley picked up the win for BHSU pitching her second shutout of the season. Wiley gave up just three hits and no runs striking out two batters. Davis was charged with the loss for the Cowgirls giving up three runs in 2.2 innings pitched.

Black Hills State hits the road for Colorado to take on RMAC opponent Colorado Mesa April 8 and 9 with first pitch slated for noon on Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday.