SDSU Softball Wins Summit League Tournament Championship

The South Dakota State softball team has had an amazing 2022 season and it garnered them the No.1 seed in the Summit League Tournament.

Even though they had to wait a couple days to play the Championship game, SDSU rolled to a 5-0 victory over Omaha.

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That marks the second straight year that South Dakota State captured the Summit League Tournament title.

With the win, SDSU now advances to the NCAA Tournament with the automatic bid and will await their seed in the selection show.

For more information on the SDSU softball team, their current roster and more news surrounding their postseason bid, you can visit their team website.

Here is the complete release from South Dakota State and the Summit League on the Championship victory.

VERMILLION, S.D. – For the second time in program history, South Dakota State captured the #SummitSB Championship by defeating second-seeded Omaha 4-2 Sunday in a winner-take-all game at Nygaard Field. Omaha forced a winner-take-all game earlier in the day to set the championship finale.

Summit League All-Summit League first team pitcher Tori Kniesche dominant all game long, striking out a league tournament game record 16 Mavericks as she won the 18^th game of her sophomore campaign.

The Jackrabbits, who didn’t a score a run in 15 straight innings, came through in the third inning. Peyton Daugherty singled and reached second on a throwing error followed by a wild pitch to set up the 2022 #SummitSB Player of the Year Rozelyn Carrillo. The Palmdale, Calif., native, who posted two hits in the tournament entering the title game, collected herself a sacrifice fly to score the first run off Meyer.

Omaha pitcher Kamryn Meyer, who registered the win in the first game of the day, threw the first three innings before Maverick head coach Mike Heard relived her of her duties and put in Sydney Hampton in relief in the fourth inning.

Kniesche continued to show why she was named an all-league first teamer, as the Wayne, Neb., native struck out nine batters through four innings of play and didn’t allow a hit. The fifth inning was all the Jackrabbits need to have a comfortable lead in the final innings pf play, as SDSU catcher Allison Yoder laced a leadoff double to left center field. The following batter, Daugherty stepped to the plate and after she recorded a sacrifice bunt, the throw was wild and in came Yoder to score SDSU’s second run of the game.

The Jackrabbits doubled the score off a towering two-run home run from Cylie Halvorson, the league leading home run hitter. With the home run, the Jackrabbits claimed the program record for the most home runs in a single season with 74 long balls.

Omaha recorded their first hit off Kniesche with a bloop hit over third basemen Cheyanne Masterson’s glove. South Dakota State loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but Omaha pitcher Sydney Nuismer retired Rozelyn Carrillo via a strikeout.

SDSU put an insurance run on the board in the seventh inning with an RBI groundout from Osmundson. Kniesche did the rest punched the Jackrabbits their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Pitcher of Record
Win – Tori Kniesche (18-5): 7.0 IP, 1 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 14 strikeouts
Loss – Kamryn Meyer (22-7): 3.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

Notable Notes
• SDSU won its second straight #SummitSB Championship and punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament
• Sophomore Tori Kniesche won both of her games she started in the circle and gave up one hit in each of her appearances
• Cylie Halvorson’s home run in the fifth was her second of the tournament and 17th of the season.
• With the home run, SDSU broke a program record for the most home runs in a season with 74
• In Kniesche’s last five starts, she hasn’t allowed more than one hit

All-Tournament Team
Lexi D’Ambrossio, Kansas City
Cassie Castaneda, North Dakota
Lauren Eamiguel, South Dakota
Gabby Moser, South Dakota
Nicole Licea, North Dakota State
Skylar Padgett, North Dakota State
Paige Vargas, North Dakota State
Kamryn Meyer, Omaha
Lexi Burkhardt, Omaha
Sydney Nuismer, Omaha
Jamie White, Omaha
Jocelyn Carrillo, South Dakota State
Grace Glanzer, South Dakota State
Cylie Halvorson, South Dakota State
Emma Osmundson, South Dakota State
Tori Kniesche, South Dakota State - MVP

Up Next
South Dakota State will find out where it is headed to continue its season at the NCAA Regionals during the selection show, which is slated for today at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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Source: SDSU Softball Wins Summit League Tournament Championship

Filed Under: NCAA Tournament, SDSU, softball, Summit League Tournament

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