SPEARFISH, S.D. – After a 1-3 start, Black Hills State University softball team sets out to Tucson, Ariz., for the Cactus Classic to continue non-conference play this weekend.
The Yellow Jackets will open the weekend against Oklahoma Baptist at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, before facing Simon Fraser at 3 p.m., on Friday. On Saturday, the Green and Gold will finish tournament play against the University of Texas-Permian Basin and Saint Martin's at 12:30 and 3 p.m.
There will not be any live stream for the games, although there will be live stats.
Last Time Out
The Yellow Jackets opened the 2019 season with a 1-3 performance at the Minot State Dome Invite in Minot, N.D.
On Saturday, BHSU fell to Minot State, 5-2, and Minnesota – Crookston, 9-1. Senior
Morgan Smith got things going with a double to put the Yellow Jackets on board, before MSU responded with a two-run home run to take a 2-1 lead. The Green and Gold tied it up in the top of the third, with a single to drive in
Maddie London. The Beavers shut down the Yellow Jackets capitalizing on their lead, to take game one, 5-2.
Minnesota – Crookston jumped ahead early in the second game of opening day, leading the Yellow Jackets 4-0 at the end of the fourth. In the bottom of the fifth,
Kindall Bethke brought in
Alex Wiley to put the Green and Gold on the board. The Golden Eagles advanced their lead with five runs, to secure a 9-1 win.
On day two of the tournament, the Yellow Jackets attacked first, adding two runs to the board to lead at the end of the first. The Beavers answered with six runs in the second to take a 6-2 lead. Wiley tallied two RBI to bring the score within one. MSU added insurance to their lead with eight runs, ultimately defeating the Green and Gold, 14-5.
In the Green and Gold 's victory against Minn. – Crookston,
Maddi Fidler knocked one out for a two-run home run to give the Yellow Jackets a 7-2 win. The Golden Eagles were able to clear the bases to bring the score within two, but BHSU was able to hold on to win, 7-5.
500 Club
Three Yellow Jackets are hitting about .500 to lead the Green and Gold.
Kindall Bethke and
Alex Wiley each tallied a .533 batting average in the opening weekend, while Sami Schoen hit .500.
Swing, Batter, Batter, Swing
As a team, Black Hills State totals 36 hits for a .310 batting average, which is 61
st in the national rankings.
Leave It on the Mound
Heading into her final season for the Yellow Jackets, senior pitcher
Alex Wiley earned her first win of the season, giving up one run through 5.0 innings and striking out four.
Breaking Records
In the 2018 season, the Green and Gold tallied nine conference wins for the most in program history, since joining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Up Next
BHSU will host Colorado School of Mines to open conference play with double headers on February 23 and 24. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. for game one on Saturday, followed by game two at 2 p.m. against the Orediggers.
