FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Tarleton began their second straight National Invitational Softball Championships appearance on Thursday against South Dakota State, falling to the Jackrabbits 11-5 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
 
The Texans (30-28, 13-11 WAC) fell behind early, then used a rain delay to reset and get back in the game, but South Dakota State (38-17, 17-0 Summit) proved to be too much at Horsetooth Field. The NISC is double elimination before the final round of the bracket, so Tarleton faces an elimination game against UC Davis on Friday at 10 a.m. CT at Red Rocks Field in Fort Collins.
 
The Jackrabbits plated two in the first, three in the second and one in the third to take a 6-0 lead. During the bottom half of the third, there was an hour-long rain delay, and Tarleton came out after in the fourth with four runs to get back in it. The first three Texans reached, opened by a Kayla Wallace single, followed by a Tristyn Trull single, then a two RBI Katy Schaefer double. Jordan Dickerson later hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 6-4.
 
The Jackrabbits got all four runs back in the bottom half of the fourth, then opened the fifth with a solo shot to make it 11-4. Alexis Hoang scored in the seventh on an error by SDSU, making the final 11-5.
 
Tarleton starting pitcher Grace Garcia (13-9) was tagged with the loss, allowing five earned runs on six hits and three walks in 4.0 IP, with two strikeouts. Tristan Bridges gave up six earned runs on five hits and nine walks in two innings of relief.
 
Schaefer (one RBI, one run, one walk) and MacKenzie Peterson each went 2-for-3. Dickerson (two RBI, one run), Wallace (one run, one walk), Trull (one run) and Hoang (one run) each had a hit.
 
The Texans and UC Davis Aggies will square off on Friday at 10 a.m. CT for the chance to play the loser between Iowa and South Dakota State on Friday at 4 p.m. CT.