SDSU’s Tremendous Season Ends in NCAA Tournament
SDSU put together a tremendous 2022 softball season but unfortunately that run came to an end on Sunday.
The Jackrabbits lost to Michigan 4-1 and saw their season end with the loss to the Wolverines in the NCAA Softball Tournament.
This season saw the Jacks crush a school record 76 home runs and a team that has all kinds of young talent that should thrive for years to come.
SDSU sees their 2022 season come to an end with a overall record of 41-13.
Here is the complete release from the Jackrabbits Athletic Department.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Michigan pitcher Alex Storako struck out 12 batters and took a shutout into the seventh inning to lead the Wolverines to a 4-1 victory over South Dakota State, ending the Jackrabbits' season at the NCAA Softball Tournament Sunday afternoon at the UCF Sports Complex.
In defeating SDSU for the second time in the double-elimination regional, Michigan improved to 38-16 and advanced to the championship round against host Central Florida. The Jackrabbits, who were making their second consecutive NCAA appearance, closed out the year with a 41-13 record.
The Wolverines scored an unearned run in the first inning and upped their lead to 4-0 an inning later as Kristina Burkhardt connected for a three-run home run off SDSU starter Grace Glanzer.
That would prove to be more than enough run support for Storako, who held SDSU to only one hit — a second-inning single by Rozelyn Carrillo — through the first six innings.
After rallying for three runs in the seventh inning to send their game against Villanova to extra innings earlier in the day, the Jackrabbits again scored in the final frame on a leadoff home run by Cylie Halvorson, but Storako retired the next three hitters to preserve the 4-1 victory. Halvorson's home run was her 19th of the season, tying her own single-season school record set in 2021.
Michigan's eight-hit attack was led by Audrey LeClair, who went 2-for-4.
Glanzer worked the first four innings for the Jackrabbits, taking the loss after walking three and striking out one. The Summit League Pitcher of the Year, she ended the season with a 21-7 record after factoring in the decision in all three of SDSU's tournament games.
Tori Kniesche pitched the final three innings, striking out one and walking one while scattering four hits in not allowing a run.
NOTES
- SDSU dropped to 2-4 in NCAA Tournament games at the Division I level
- Halvorson's home run was the 40th of her career, four of which have been hit in NCAA Tournament contests
- The Jackrabbits tallied a school-record 76 home runs in 2022
- Rozelyn Carrillo ended the 2022 season with a team-best .389 batting average, after her sister, Jocelyn, led the team with a .418 average a year ago
- Kniesche finished with a Jackrabbit single-season record of 268 strikeouts, breaking the previous mark of 255 set by Allison Sempsis in 2000
For more information on SDSU softball, their current roster and news surrounding their program, you can visit their team website.