FORT COLLINS, Colo. (SDSU) – South Dakota State softball’s 2023 season came to a close on Saturday as the BYU Cougars defeated the Jackrabbits, 5-0, in the National Invitational Softball Championship semifinals at Red Rocks Field.

SDSU’s campaign closed with a 39-19 overall record. The mark represented the Jackrabbit program’s fourth highest ever win total while its 39 wins extended a span of 30-victory seasons to five.

BYU jumped in front in the third. The Cougs recorded back-to-back singles, then a three-run home run off the bat of Ailana Agbayani propelled BYU ahead 3-0. That at-bat ended SDSU starter Tori Kniesche’s memorable junior season as she eventually picked up the loss in the circle.

The Cougs added a run in the top of the fourth before SDSU put together their best inning at the plate. Allison Yoder hit a two-out double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Rozelyn Carrillo walked to set the Jacks up with runners on the corners with one out. A flyout and strikeout ended the threat.

BYU starter Chloe Temples was solid for the Cougs. She threw a complete game and gave up just four hits and a walk while striking out 10. Agbayani led BYU hitting going 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

The Jackrabbits had two multi-hit performances from Yoder and Jocelyn Carrillo. Yoder, playing in her final game in the Yellow and Blue, threw out a would-be base stealer and was on the receiving end of an outfield double play to highlight the day. Alexa Williams and Shannonn Lasey combined to pitch the final 4 2/3 innings for the Jacks and gave up two runs.

Notes

  • Kniesche fell to 24-7 on the season and her 2023 slate ended with a 1.58 ERA. Her 24 victories are a program single-season record.
  • Mia Jarecki finished the season with a team-leading .337 batting average and 48 runs scored. Her 48 runs scored were the third most in a single season by a Jackrabbit.
  • Yoder finished the season with a 1.000 fielding percentage. She’s the seventh Jackrabbit to ever achieve the feat. She also accrued a .988 career fielding percentage which is good for the second best mark ever in the program’s history.