SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the second straight season, South Dakota State will represent The Summit League at the NCAA Softball Regionals. Summit League championship title holder South Dakota State claimed a spot in the field of 64 and begin its journey Friday against Michigan, where they will compete in the Orlando Regional along with host UCF and Villanova.
This Week In The Summit League
Orlando Regional Schedule
*all games listed in Eastern Time
Friday, May 20
Game 1 -- #2 seed Michigan vs. #3 seed South Dakota State, 3:30 p.m.
Game 2 -- #1 seed UCF vs. #4 seed Villanova, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 21
Game 3 -- Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 11 a.m.
Game 4 -- Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5 -- Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 22
Game 6 -- Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 2 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary) -- Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 4:30 p.m.
Recent Results
The Summit League Championship
First Round | Thursday, May 12
G1: (4) South Dakota 4, (4) Kansas City 3
G2: (3) North Dakota State 5, (6) North Dakota 2
Quarterfinals | Friday/Saturday, May 13/14
G3: (2) Omaha 2, (3) North Dakota State 0
G4: (1) South Dakota State 5, (4) South Dakota 3
G5: (2) Omaha 3, (4) South Dakota 1
Semifinals | Saturday, May 14
G6: (1) SDSU 2, (4) NDSU 0
G7: (1) Omaha 3, (4) NDSU 2
Championship | Sunday, May 15
G8: (2) Omaha, 3, (1) South Dakota State 0
G9: (1) SDSU 5, (2) Omaha 0
Around The League
• South Dakota State captured their second straight #SummitSB championship title as they went 3-1 in the tournament and defeated Omaha in a winner-take-all game, 5-0, on Sunday afternoon in Vermillion, S.D.
• Day one of the tournament was pushed back a day due to rain in the forecast, and after two games were played on Thursday, the rest of the #SummitSB Championship was moved to Vermillion due to damage and a power outage across the South Dakota State University campus caused by the heavy storms that passed through the state.
• The Jackrabbits were led by Championship MVP and All-Tournament team honoree Tori Kniesche, who set a new league tournament record with 16 strikeouts, the second highest total of her career, in the complete-game championship finale victory. She gave up only one walk, one hit and one hit by pitch in the game.
• Her first appearance in the tournament saw her capture SDSU’s second win of the tournament against North Dakota State where she threw a one-hit shutout, struck out 10 batters, walked three and hit one.
• All-league first-team infielder Cylie Halvorson belted a two-run home run in the championship finale, her 16th of the season. Halvorson’s home run was the Jackrabbits’ 74th of the season, which set a new single-season program record.
• Pitcher of the Year Grace Glanzer was named to the All-Tournament team, as the sophomore’s first appearance saw her pitch all seven innings and struck out seven while allowing five hits and one walk against South Dakota.
• All-Tournament honoree Jocelyn Carrillo’s best performance was in SDSU’s first game against NDSU, where the Palmdale, Calif., native belted a fourth-inning grand slam for a 5-1 lead.
• Emma Osmundson recorded a trio of hits and drove in a run to be named to the All-Tournament team. Additionally, she was stellar in right field, making highlight-reel catches.
• The Jackrabbits will meet Michigan (36-16) in the first round of the NCAA Regionals on May 20 at 2:30 p.m. CT at the UCF Softball Complex in Orlando, Fla. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
• Regional host and No. 16 national seeded UCF along with Big East champion Villanova will join the Jackrabbits and Knights in Orlando.
• SDSU will then square off with either UCF or Villanova on day two of the four team double-elimination regional.
• The Wolverines wrapped up the regular season with a 36-16 record and finished 14-8 in Big Ten play.
• Michigan is making its 29th NCAA Tournament appearance and has earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament every season since 1995. The Wolverines are 86-21 all-time in the NCAA Regional round and have won 18 regional titles, while the Jackrabbits picked up its first NCAA Regional win last season against Stanford with a 7-1 score.
#SummitSB
