University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, March 28
Vermillion, S.D. / Nygaard Field
2:00 p.m. Central
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South Dakota
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Photo by: Kylie Macziewski
Tommies win DI program-record 19th in split with South Dakota
3/28/2025 8:49:00 PM | Softball
Softball has won each of its first two Summit League series after taking two from the Coyotes
VERMILLION, S.D. – St. Thomas Softball (19-11 overall, 4-2 Summit League) took game one in 11 innings but fell in an abbreviated game two against the South Dakota Coyotes (20-14, 3-3) on Friday.
Game One Recap
Ava Kleinfeldt got the start and was nearly immediately granted some run support with a two-run Tommie second. Abbi Stierlen led off the frame with a walk. Anna Caruso advanced to second on an Adrianna Young sac bunt after pinch running for Stierlen. Back-to-back singles by Kameron Monson and Ruby Moore loaded the bases with one out for Avery Wukawitz. The centerfielder walked on six pitches to score the game's first run. Cassidy Carby earned her RBI the hard way with a two-out hit-by-pitch to double the Tommie lead.
St. Thomas added its third run when Laken Lienhard sliced a double down the left field line to score Wukawitz. The Coyotes tied the game in the fifth inning on four hits and one Tommie error. Two of the three runs were earned against Kleinfeldt.
The freshman continued to pitch through the sixth inning. She allowed the three runs on seven hits and one strikeout. She was relieved by Ella Cook in the seventh inning who came in to attempt a save after Laken Lienhard put the Toms in front with a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning.
Cook got the first out of the frame but then allowed a double to left field. The South Dakota runner advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a two-out single through the left side of the infield. Cook got the final out of the frame to push the game to extra innings.
There is no automatic runner in conference play, so extras went on for three whole innings without a run until the Toms struck for two in the top of the 11th. The "hero" of game one, Laken Lienhard, led off the frame with a walk. Zoe Trotter came in to pinch run for the shortstop and after a successful sac bunt from Cassidy Carby was standing on second base. Ella Cook just barely missed a two-run home run and flew out to center field, Trotter tagged up and advanced to third. Kaitlyn Raymond rifled a two out single to center field to score Trotter and then Raymond scored on an Adrianna Young single to left field.
Cook went to work in line for the win and pitched around a two out error to win the Tommies' their fifth consecutive game. Cook went five innings and allowed one earned run on five hits and two strikeouts.
The Tommies' win was their 19th of the season, a DI program record with 19 games still to play in 2025.
Game Two Recap
Laken Lienhard picked up right where she left off as the "hero" in game one with a one out solo home run in the first inning of game two. Her run was the only of the frame for the Tommies but their lead did not last long after the Coyotes added two runs off starter Christina Crawford in the bottom half of the opening inning.
Crawford gave herself some help in the second inning with an RBI single up the middle to score Kaitlyn Raymond who led off the inning with a double. Crawford allowed two hits in the second but worked out of the jam to keep the contest tied.
Lienhard struck again in the third with her second home run of the game with two outs to put the Toms back on top, 3-2. Crawford worked another scoreless frame with the one run lead but ran into trouble in the fourth.
The Coyotes led off the inning with a solo home run, a single, and a two-run home run. Ava Kleinfeldt came in to relieve Crawford but allowed two more runs before the end of the fourth. South Dakota led the game 7-3.
Home runs from Avery Wukawitz (solo) and Cassidy Carby (two run) leapt the Tommies right back into the game, again down by just one run. The Coyotes added back with one run off three singles in the bottom of the fifth. Ella Cook came in to relieve Kleinfeldt and struck out the final batter of the frame.
The game went into a lightning delay with the sunset time looming and was officially called about an hour later with the score reverting to the fifth inning. The Coyotes came out victorious, 8-6.
Up Next
The Tommies will play their games against Green Bay, previously scheduled for this past Wednesday, at a date to be determined next week before they head off to play the Oklahoma Sooners next weekend.
Game One Recap
Ava Kleinfeldt got the start and was nearly immediately granted some run support with a two-run Tommie second. Abbi Stierlen led off the frame with a walk. Anna Caruso advanced to second on an Adrianna Young sac bunt after pinch running for Stierlen. Back-to-back singles by Kameron Monson and Ruby Moore loaded the bases with one out for Avery Wukawitz. The centerfielder walked on six pitches to score the game's first run. Cassidy Carby earned her RBI the hard way with a two-out hit-by-pitch to double the Tommie lead.
St. Thomas added its third run when Laken Lienhard sliced a double down the left field line to score Wukawitz. The Coyotes tied the game in the fifth inning on four hits and one Tommie error. Two of the three runs were earned against Kleinfeldt.
The freshman continued to pitch through the sixth inning. She allowed the three runs on seven hits and one strikeout. She was relieved by Ella Cook in the seventh inning who came in to attempt a save after Laken Lienhard put the Toms in front with a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning.
Cook got the first out of the frame but then allowed a double to left field. The South Dakota runner advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a two-out single through the left side of the infield. Cook got the final out of the frame to push the game to extra innings.
There is no automatic runner in conference play, so extras went on for three whole innings without a run until the Toms struck for two in the top of the 11th. The "hero" of game one, Laken Lienhard, led off the frame with a walk. Zoe Trotter came in to pinch run for the shortstop and after a successful sac bunt from Cassidy Carby was standing on second base. Ella Cook just barely missed a two-run home run and flew out to center field, Trotter tagged up and advanced to third. Kaitlyn Raymond rifled a two out single to center field to score Trotter and then Raymond scored on an Adrianna Young single to left field.
Cook went to work in line for the win and pitched around a two out error to win the Tommies' their fifth consecutive game. Cook went five innings and allowed one earned run on five hits and two strikeouts.
The Tommies' win was their 19th of the season, a DI program record with 19 games still to play in 2025.
Game Two Recap
Laken Lienhard picked up right where she left off as the "hero" in game one with a one out solo home run in the first inning of game two. Her run was the only of the frame for the Tommies but their lead did not last long after the Coyotes added two runs off starter Christina Crawford in the bottom half of the opening inning.
Crawford gave herself some help in the second inning with an RBI single up the middle to score Kaitlyn Raymond who led off the inning with a double. Crawford allowed two hits in the second but worked out of the jam to keep the contest tied.
Lienhard struck again in the third with her second home run of the game with two outs to put the Toms back on top, 3-2. Crawford worked another scoreless frame with the one run lead but ran into trouble in the fourth.
The Coyotes led off the inning with a solo home run, a single, and a two-run home run. Ava Kleinfeldt came in to relieve Crawford but allowed two more runs before the end of the fourth. South Dakota led the game 7-3.
Home runs from Avery Wukawitz (solo) and Cassidy Carby (two run) leapt the Tommies right back into the game, again down by just one run. The Coyotes added back with one run off three singles in the bottom of the fifth. Ella Cook came in to relieve Kleinfeldt and struck out the final batter of the frame.
The game went into a lightning delay with the sunset time looming and was officially called about an hour later with the score reverting to the fifth inning. The Coyotes came out victorious, 8-6.
Up Next
The Tommies will play their games against Green Bay, previously scheduled for this past Wednesday, at a date to be determined next week before they head off to play the Oklahoma Sooners next weekend.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cook, Ella (8-6)
L: Madison Evans (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Lienhard, Laken 1 ; Cook, Ella 1
HR: Lienhard, Laken 1
RBI: Wukawitz, Avery 1 ; Lienhard, Laken 2 ; Carby, Cassidy 1 ; Raymond, Kaitlyn 1 ; Young, Adrianna 1
SH: Carby, Cassidy 1 ; Young, Adrianna 1 ; Monson, Kameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wukawitz, Avery 1 ; Lienhard, Laken 1 ; Trotter, Zoe 1 ; Raymond, Kaitlyn 1 ; Caruso, Anna 1 ; Moore, Ruby 1
SB: Wukawitz, Avery 2 ; Wichman, Miley 1
HBP: Carby, Cassidy 1
Batting:
2B: Sara Iburg 1 ; Abi Brown 1
RBI: Ella McGee 2 ; Sara Iburg 1
SH: Clara Edwards 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rylie Jones 1 ; Sara Iburg 1 ; Piper Ruhl 1 ; Isabel Carda 1
SB: Tatum Villotta 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSS
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF/SS
/ Softball
C/OF
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