The St. Thomas softball team dropped both games 10-2 and 9-0 in the home-opening doubleheader Saturday against the University of South Dakota at South Field.
The Tommies (8-26, 3-5 Summit League) were outhit 27-8 by the Coyotes (20-16, 5-3) in the doubleheader.
“We have to play our best softball to be able to compete,” coach Jennifer Trotter said. “Today I think we maybe played an eight out of 10.”
GAME ONE
South Dakota jumped on first-year pitcher Christina Crawford early, scoring a run in the first off a wild pitch and an error. The Coyotes added on in the second when sophomore right fielder Gabby Moser hit a two-run home run off Crawford.
Crawford went four innings, giving up nine hits, five earned runs and striking out two before being relieved by senior pitcher Kendall Hopkins, who pitched the remainder of the game.
The Coyotes added two more in the fourth on two St. Thomas errors. The Tommies were held scoreless through five innings before senior third baseman Sarah Hudson put the Tommies on the board in the sixth, driving in first-year centerfielder Kaitlyn Raymond.
“South Dakota is a much more confident team than we’ve faced recently,” Trotter said. “I don’t think we were quite ready to answer what they brought.”
South Dakota responded handily in the seventh, scoring five runs, including another two-run home run by Moser, putting the Coyotes up 10-1.
Senior first baseman Megan Baniecke hit a solo shot in the seventh, but the Tommies could not get more. Sophomore catcher Maddie Grad was retired to end the game 10-2.
‘It’s tough to lose the home opener,” Baniecke said. “But I think there were a lot of good things that we can bring into the game tomorrow.”
GAME TWO
The Coyotes continued their momentum going into the second game, scoring one in the first off a wild pitch.
Baniecke, who started at pitcher in game two, couldn’t keep the Coyotes at bay, giving up four runs in the second off five hits.
South Dakota battered Baniecke, scoring four over the next three innings, including a home run from senior center fielder Courtney Wilson in the sixth.
Baniecke finished 5.1 innings, giving up nine runs on 14 hits. Junior pitcher Isabelle True finished the last two-thirds of the sixth for the Tommies.
“I trust my teammates to be behind me when I’m pitching,” Baniecke said. “Even when I’m not pitching, we work as a team.”
The Coyotes shut out the Tommies, who had three hits and walked four times. The game ended at the end of the sixth after the Coyotes met the eight run mercy rule.
“We have better softball in us,” Trotter said. “We just didn’t put it all together.”
The Tommies return to South Field at 11 a.m. Sunday for the final game in the three-game weekend series against South Dakota.
Sam Larson can be reached at lars4378@stthomas.edu.