South Dakota State softball swept by Kansas City

Jackrabbits drop final game of weekend series after falling behind early

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:50am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a softball game, with sharp planes of navy, green, and orange intersecting to create a sense of motion and chaos on the field.The Jackrabbits' struggles on the road are reflected in this cubist interpretation of their weekend series loss against the Roos.Quinn Today

The South Dakota State softball team was swept in its three-game Summit League series against the University of Missouri-Kansas City Roos, dropping the final game 4-2 on Friday, April 3. SDSU sophomore pitcher Amanda Vacanti went the distance but allowed four runs on seven hits, while the Jackrabbits' offense was limited to seven hits on the day.

Why it matters

The Jackrabbits' loss drops them to 0-3 in the series and 0-6 in conference play so far this season, putting them in an early hole in the Summit League standings. The sweep by UMKC also highlights the continued struggles for the SDSU softball program, which is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 campaign.

The details

SDSU took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on a two-run single by Bria Riebel, but UMKC responded with two runs in the fourth and one in the seventh to complete the sweep. The Jackrabbits had the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh but were unable to capitalize, as a fly out and strikeout ended the game.

  • The series took place from April 1-3, 2026.
  • The final game of the series was played on Friday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Amanda Vacanti

A sophomore pitcher for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits who threw a complete game in the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits with eight walks and two strikeouts.

Bria Riebel

A Jackrabbits player who had a two-run single in the second inning to give SDSU a brief 2-1 lead, and finished the game with three of the team's seven hits.

Emma Christensen

A Jackrabbits player who scored one of the team's two runs in the second inning.

Quinn Marnocha

A Jackrabbits player who also scored in the second inning on Riebel's two-run single.

Abby Gentry

A Jackrabbits player who had two hits in the losing effort.

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What they’re saying

“We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it today. Kansas City played a good series and deserved the sweep.”

— Amanda Vacanti, Sophomore Pitcher, South Dakota State Jackrabbits

What’s next

The Jackrabbits will look to bounce back next weekend when they travel to Iowa City to take on the University of Iowa and Georgia Tech in a four-game set.

The takeaway

South Dakota State's softball team is off to a rough start in Summit League play, getting swept by Kansas City to fall to 0-6 in conference. The Jackrabbits will need to regroup quickly as they head to Iowa for a tough non-conference matchup against the Hawkeyes and Yellow Jackets.