KC's Season Comes to a Close at Summit League Championships

Wednesday, May 6

Minneapolis, MN

1:00 PM

Kansas City

16-31

South Dakota

16-33-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Kansas City	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	4	3
South Dakota	1	0	0	0	0	2	2	5	11	2

Elleana Navarro slides feet-first into third base

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

KC's Season Comes to a Close at Summit League Championships

5/6/2026 4:13:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

The Roos fell to #4 South Dakota in heartbreaking, walk off fashion

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The first game of the Summit League Softball Championships was a back-and-forth affair between #4 South Dakota and #5 Kansas City with the Coyotes prevailing in the end, 5-4. The Roos used timely hitting and smart base running to claim a lead in the top of the seventh, but USD put an end to KC's season in the bottom of the inning in walk off fashion.

South Dakota struck first in the bottom of the first inning, using a lead off walk and a stolen base to put a runner in scoring position. The Coyotes got a single that drove the run in, but Mia Corres threw the batter out advancing to second and limiting the damage that was done.

The Roos bounced back quickly, claiming a lead of their own in the top of the second. Elleana Navarro hit a lead off double and Katie Noble walked, later advancing to second and third on a passed ball. USD was able to get two outs, but a throwing error on a Monica Franklin grounder to third allowed both Navarro and Noble to come around and score.

From the second through the fifth innings, Delilah Robles kept the Coyotes scoreless with help from the Roos' defensive efforts. In the third inning, USD had runners on first and second with two outs and a single went up the middle. Navarro made a diving stop to keep the ball from trickling into the outfield and came up throwing, mowing the potential tying run down at home.

The Coyotes reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring a pair of runs on a two-out single. Kansas City remained undeterred, responding in the top of the seventh. Ella Husak went to left-center for a one-out double and Lauren Parker took advantage of a wild pitch to reach first after initially striking out. From there, it was base running that put the Roos ahead. Megan Johnston laid down a sacrifice bunt with Husak sprinting home, scoring before the pitcher could shovel the ball to the catcher's mitt. Parker reached third in the chaos and Johnston took a chance, going for second with the ball still at home plate. USD's catcher threw down to second to attempt to catch Johnston, but Parker was ready. She dashed for home and scored, putting the Roos ahead heading into the final half-inning.

Kansas City got the first out in the bottom of the seventh and following a Coyote single got the second out, putting them one out away from advancing. USD strung together back-to-back singles with two outs, scoring a pair of runs and claiming the victory.

The Roos' season ends at 16-32, an 11-win improvement over last season. Led by Second Team All-Leaguers Parker and Robles and bolstered by Johnston's Honorable Mention nod, the Roos won six Summit League games, the second-most of Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor's tenure. The Roos will graduate four seniors: Parker, Noble, Navarro and Grace Batdorf.