South Dakota lost to North Dakota 9-1 on April 19 in the second game of a three-game softball series at Albrecht Field. The result evens the series at one game each.
The outcome is significant as both teams now have one run-rule victory apiece, setting up a decisive third game. The match was shortened to five innings after North Dakota extended its lead and met the run-rule margin.
North Dakota’s Taya Hopfauf drove in six of her team’s nine runs, including a bases-clearing double and a two-run single. South Dakota scored first when Autumn Iversen led off with a single and advanced around the bases due to pitching errors, eventually scoring on a wild pitch. However, that would be South Dakota’s only hit and run of the day.
The Fighting Hawks responded quickly by tying the score in their half of the first inning before erupting for four runs in the second inning. They added two more runs in the fourth and closed out with another pair in the fifth inning, ending the contest early due to run-rule regulations.
Teagan Livesay earned her eleventh win for North Dakota while Peyton Paulsen took her ninth loss for South Dakota. Both teams will play again tomorrow at Albrecht Field, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m., broadcast on Midco Sports and Summit League Network.
With both teams securing convincing wins so far, tomorrow’s rubber match will determine which side claims victory in this tightly contested series.