SPEARFISH, S.D. – Despite dropping a run-rule game in the first game today, the Black Hills State University softball team (12-31, 11-27 RMAC) showed some fight and once again battle the No. 7-ranked Colorado Christian Cougars (45-4, 37-3 RMAC) in the second game with their comeback falling just short to conclude the home slate for the 2024 season. Laci Peskey becomes the fifth Yellow Jacket to start 20+ games in the circle, getting the nod in both games today.
 
GAME 3: (7) CCU 12, BHSU 2 (F/5)
 
PITCHING DECISIONS:
Win: Kaila Eastburn (15-1)
Loss: Laci Peskey (5-13)
 
The Cougars took control of Game 1 early, holding a 7-0 lead after three innings. Black Hills State struggled to get the bats going against Cougar starter Kaila Eastburn, as Tyler Whitlock (Jr., Erie, Colo.) would put the first hit on the board with a double in the fourth inning.
 
Trailing 12-0 after five and a half innings, BHSU put a pair of runs up in the fifth inning to avoid the shutout as Shayla Tuschen (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) doubled down the left field line to score Gianna Haley (Gr., Arvada, Colo.). With the bases loaded, Whitlock would be plunked a pitch to score the second run.
 
However, the Cougars would take the 12-2 win in five innings to secure the series victory.
 
GAME NOTES

• Taylor Klein got the start at DP in Game 3, recording a walk.
• Shayla Tuschen recorded her sixth double of the season in her final home game as a Yellow Jacket.
• Tyler Whitlock posted her third double of the season.

GAME 4: (7) CCU 9, BHSU 5
 
PITCHING DECISIONS:
Win: Emma Duncan (16-1)
Loss: Laci Peskey (5-14)
 
The series finale proved to be a pitcher's duel through four innings, as each starter held each offense scoreless.
 
Taylor Dowden (Jr., Surprise, Ariz.) would tally the first BHSU hit in the third inning, but it would Colorado Christian who would strike with the first run in the fifth inning. The Cougars would put three runs on the scoreboard in each of the final three innings.
 
Taking a 6-0 lead heading to the bottom of the sixth inning, the Yellow Jackets would show some fight putting up five runs of their own to make it 6-5 heading into the final frame. With runners on second and third, Ashlynn Pauwels (Jr., Tallahassee, Fla.) would drive in the first Yellow Jacket runs of Game 4 with a triple to center field, her second of the season.
 
Haley would continue the hit parade – the third of the inning – to score Pauwels to make it 6-3. Audrey Fouras (So., Jackson, Wyo.), with an 0-2 count, would go deep down the left field line for her sixth long ball of the season as the Yellow Jackets would pull to within just one run. Alyssa Wong (R-Fr., San Antonio, Texas) would reach with a single of her own, followed by an Adreanna Lance (Jr., Aurora, Colo.) walk with both moving into scoring position on a passed ball, but BH would not be able to push anymore runs across in the inning.
 
Colorado Christian would put up three more insurance runs in the top half of the seventh which proved to be enough, as they would complete the sweep with a 9-5 Game 4 victory.
 
GAME NOTES

• For the fifth-straight series, the Yellow Jackets have hit multiple home runs.
• After starting in the circle in both games on Day 2, Laci Peskey becomes just the fifth Yellow Jacket to start 20+ games in a single season.
• Audrey Fouras hit her sixth home run of the season, bringing her back into the tie for the team lead.
• Ashlynn Pauwels picked up her second double of the season in the sixth inning.
• Both Fouras and Pauwels record multi-RBI games in the comeback attempt, both with two each.
• Pauwels again leads the team with her ninth multi-RBI games, while Fouras now has five on the season.
• With the two RBIs, Pauwels has tied her 2023 mark for RBIs in a season (33), sitting in a three-way tie for fourth for a single-season in program history.
• She also moves into seventh-place all-time in RBI.
• In the nine-hole, Taylor Dowden notched her fifth multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Kayla Lee picked up her 15^th stolen base of the year, as the team now has 53 on the season.
• Lee needs just three stolen bases to move into second all-time in program history for stolen bases.
• After this weekend, Gianna Haley became the fourth Yellow Jacket to score 70+ runs in their career, sitting fourth with 72 runs scored.
• Peskey sits in a tie for third with 21 starts in the circle after the CCU circle, tied with Crystal Amaral (2022).
• She also pitched her 14^th complete game of the season, which sits sixth in a single-season in program history and ninth all-time.

Up Next: Black Hills State will hit the road for the final weekend of the regular season when they make the trip into the state of Nebraska for a four-game set with the Eagles of Chadron State College (11-35, 11-25 RMAC) next Friday and Saturday, April 26-27 from Chadron, Nebraska.