Game 9: South Dakota State vs. Tarleton State

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 11, TARLETON STATE 1 (5)
 
FORT COLLINS, CO – An eight-run burst in the second inning put South Dakota State in control, and pitcher Tori Kniesche dominated in the circle as the Jackrabbits beat Tarleton State to earn a spot in Saturday’s semifinals at the 2023 NISC.
 
SDSU (39-17) will face BYU at 9 a.m. MT. The title game of the NISC is slated for 3 p.m. MT.
 
South Dakota State jumped ahead 1-0 in the second inning as Cheyanne Masterson hit a single to bring in Emma Osmundson, who had doubled to lead off the frame. Alexa Williams scored with the bases loaded and no outs on a wild pitch; Allison Yoder drove in two runs with a single, and another run came in on the play thanks to an outfield error.
 
Rozelyn Carrillo made it 6-0 (still with no outs) with a run-scoring single to drive in Yoder. Jocelyn Carrillo doubled to push the advantage to 7-0, and after a pitching change helped Tarleton State secure one out, the score moved to 8-0 on a single from Osmundson.
 
Katy Schaefer put the Texans (31-29) on the board with a home run to lead off the bottom of the second inning. Osmundson drove in two more runs with a double to left-center in the third as the score ballooned to 10-1, and she drove in her fourth run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

Kniesche allowed two hits and struck out five batters in her five innings of work.