The St. Thomas softball team salvaged the weekend series in spectacular fashion Sunday, winning 8-7 at South Field against South Dakota. Sophomore shortstop Sydney Mickett was the hero for the Tommies, hitting a two-run walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning to seal the comeback win.
The Tommies (9-26, 4-5 Summit League) battled through six lead changes against the Coyotes (20-17, 5-4).
“Until it’s the third out in the seventh, they fight,” coach Jennifer Bagley Trotter said. “That’s something special; not every team is capable of doing that.”
The Tommies took a one-run lead in the fourth after back-to-back solo home runs by senior first baseman Megan Baniecke and first-year right fielder Cassidy Carby.
The Coyotes responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to switch the score in their favor once again.
Mickett, who only started in five games prior to Sunday, gave the Tommies the lead back in the sixth, scoring one run on a single and another on a wild rundown.
“A fight like today, especially after yesterday, is good for them,” Bagley Trotter said.
South Dakota piled on in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs. This included a two-run home run off first-year pitcher Christina Crawford, putting the Coyotes up by three heading into the final St. Thomas at bat.
For Crawford, who pitched all seven innings, it was a bit nerve-wracking trailing by three with only three outs to spare.
“It was a little bit stressful,” Crawford said. “But I had total confidence in my team that they had my back.”
The Tommies indeed had her back, scoring two runs before recording an out. Down by one with the bases loaded, Mickett singled, scoring junior left fielder CJ Jacobson and Carby for the walk-off win.
“I think the story of the day is Syd Mickett,” Bagley Trotter said of Mickett’s 4-4 performance at the plate. “Taking Brooke Ellestad’s job at shortstop, and she just comes up with the day she had.”
Mickett filled in for Tommies average, RBI and runs leader Ellestad, who was the Ticketsmarter Summit League Player of the Week for the last week of March. Ellestad had the day off.
The Tommies return to South Field Tuesday, April 12, to take on Green Bay in a non-conference doubleheader at 3 and 5:30 p.m.
Sam Larson can be reached at lars4378@stthomas.edu