May 16: South Dakota State vs. Eastern Kentucky

IOWA STATE REGIONAL
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6

AMES, IA – A trio of home runs paved the way for South Dakota State, and starting pitcher Kendra Conard tossed a complete-game for the Jackrabbits.

South Dakota State (37-17) tied the game at 2-all after a two-run homer from Lyndsey Crist in the fifth inning, and Mallory McQuistan came through in the sixth with a three-run shot, her third hit of the contest. Conard (18-5) allowed three earned runs as the SDSU defense struggled through four errors.
 
Eastern Kentucky (34-21) cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Brooke Harrison doubled in Zoe Mihalicz for an unearned run. However, the Jackrabbits got some breathing room in the top of the seventh on a three-run homer from Ali Herdliska.

That turned out to be an important swing for the Jackrabbits, as EKU came back to score three times in the bottom of the seventh. Erica Bowers drove in two runs with a single, and Harrison drove in one more on a groundout.