INDIANAPOLIS – South Dakota hit eight home runs on the day, including five in Game 2, to take the first two games of a three-game series against the IUPUI softball team Saturday afternoon at the IUPUI Softball Complex.

The Jaguars, which entered with a 2.20 ERA entering the day, had an off day on the mound and USD took advantage posting a 6-1 win in the opener before holding on for an 11-7 win in Game 2.

The losses dropped the Jags to 18-10 overall and 2-3 in the Summit League, while the Coyotes upped their record to 10-17-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

In the opener, the IUPUI offense struggled against USD starter Rachel Cue mustering up only four hits. While the Coyotes only picked up six hits of their own, three of those were home runs – two of which were of the two-run variety.

South Dakota used a two-run homer in the second to get out to an early lead, but Taylor Chitwood hit an opposite field home run in the bottom half of the frame to cut the IUPUI deficit in half.
The Jags were able to put runners on in three of the final five innings, but they only truly threatened once allowing the USD offense to use the long ball to expand its lead before finishing off a 6-1 win.

The barrage of home runs continued in Game 2 when another two-run shot place the Coyotes in front, 2-0, in the first inning, and nine of the next 10 Coyotes runs would come off home runs as they took an 11-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Despite facing a big deficit, the Jaguars continued to fight and put together a late rally fueled by a three-run double from Maggie Good and a two-run, pinch-hit homer from Jazmine Pedrotti. Unfortunately, the double-digit deficit was too much to overcome and USD held on for the 11-7 win.

The Jaguars and Coyotes conclude their three-game series on Sunday, March 29, at 11 a.m.