CHADRON, Neb. – The Black Hills State University softball team (15-32, 14-28 RMAC) took Game 3 of the series to start the final day of the season, as the Yellow Jackets split the day but earned their first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) series win over the Chadron State College Eagles (12-38, 12-28 RMAC). It marks the first series win over the Eagles since 2019 and just the second-ever series victory.
GAME 1: BHSU 9, CSC 5
PITCHING DECISIONS:
Win: Laci Peskey (7-15)
Loss: Kenzi Garner (4-13)
For the second-straight game in the series, the Yellow Jackets jumped on the board early with runs in the first inning. Black Hills State would plate four runs in the frame after three of the first four Jackets recorded hits. Kayla Lee (Sr., Kearney, Neb.) cleared the bases with a 3-run home run for her first long ball of the season to make it 4-0 BH.
The Eagles would get a run back in the next half inning when Kroll would go deep to make it 4-1. Chadron State would add another run in the third to cut the lead in half at 4-2.
That score would hold until the fourth inning when déjà vu struck and the Yellow Jackets posted a four-run, four-hit frame, mirroring the first inning. The wheels came off the Eagle defense, as three of the four runs proved to be unearned in the frame. Both Taylor Klein (Sr., Scottsbluff, Neb.)and Shayla Tuschen (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) both pick up RBI singles as BHSU pushes their lead up to 8-2.
In the sixth, Kroll would belt her second home run of the day as the Eagles, again, cut the lead in half with one swing of the bat, 8-4 BHSU.
The seventh inning saw the Yellow Jackets push across one more run. After entering the contest as a pinch runner, Alyssa Wong (R-Fr., San Antonio, Texas) would remain in the designated player slot and would pick up an RBI single to drive in Lee. Chadron State would push a run across in the bottom half in a comeback attempt, but Peskey would slam the door shut as Black Hills State won Game 3, 9-5, and clinched the series.
GAME NOTES
- With her walk in the 6th inning, Gianna Haley has tied the career record for walks drawn in program history.
- With her RBI double in the first inning, Ashlynn Pauwels tops her 2023 mark for RBI with her 34th of the season, which moves into fourth all-time in a single season.
- Laci Peskey records a new career-high eight strike outs in her 16th complete game of the year.
- BHSU records their 12th multi-hit game of the season with 10 hits, improving to 2-1 on the season when the hit totals are tied.
- Kayla Lee hit her first home run of the season (second as a Yellow Jacket) with a 3-run blast in the first inning.
- Ashlynn Pauwels recorded her 14th double of the season with an RBI double in the first inning.
- Lee and Lily Simmons both record a pair of hits in Game 3, Simmons with her 11th and Lee with her 10th of the season.
- Lee also picks up her second multi-hit game of the season, her first three-RBI game of the year.
- Alyssa Wong collected her 21st RBI of the season in the seventh.
- Peskey scattered 10 Eagle hits on the day, allowing five runs (four earned).
- She moves into second all-time in a single season with her 23rd start in the circle, while her 138.2 innings this season sits third.
- Peskey also picked up her seventh win of the year, which moves into a tie for fifth-best in a single season.
- The win is the 12th all-time against the Eagles, tying the longest win streak for BH in series history.
GAME 2: CSC 8, BHSU 0 (F/6)
PITCHING DECISIONS:
Win: Brooklyn Levin (4-12)
Loss: Shayla Tuschen (6-13)
A solo home run for Chadron State in the second inning would give them their first lead of the series with the first run of Game 4, taking the early 1-0 lead. Back-to-back home runs for Chadron State in the third inning would push their lead up to 4-0 through three innings of play.
The home run ball would continue to be the theme, as the Eagles go deep six times in the series finale to take it 8-0 in six innings to send their seniors out.
GAME NOTES
- BHSU mustered just four hits in the series finale.
- Lily Simmons ends the season with her 12th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
- Tyler Whitlock gets one hit in the outing, ending the season with 99 hits and just one shy of cracking 100 career hits.
- Audrey Fouras the other Yellow Jacket with a hit in Game 4.
The Yellow Jackets end the season with the best record the program has posted in the NCAA Division II era with an overall mark of 15-32. BHSU also set a new single-season record for most RMAC wins in a season, ending with 14 (14-28); all being done under first-year head coach Ashlyn Englehorn.
