The University of Sioux Falls softball team was edged by Mt. Marty College (10-24 overall, 8-14 Great Plains Athletic Conference) 6-5 and 4-3 this afternoon in Yankton, S.D.
Game 1
With two outs in the second inning, the Lancers managed to load the bases with Emily Girard stepping to the plate. Girard singled, allowing two runners to cross the plate to make the score 2-0 after two.
USF struck back with two runs in the top of the third. Freshman
Bailey Bouman (Pipestone, Minn.) hit a lead-off double, then scored on an error by Mt. Marty. Freshman
Victoria Maule (Crystal Lake, Ill.) reached on a fielder's choice, then scored on a double by sophomore
Naomi Tesar (Lake Villa, Ill.), tying the score at 2-2.
A triple by MMC's Girard score one more run in the fourth. Girard scored later in the inning on one of USF's three errors during the game, allowing the Lancers to take back the lead at 4-2.
USF rallied to their first lead of the game in the sixth inning. Sophomore
Shelby Thompson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) walked as the lead-off batter, then stole second. Thompson scored on a singe by senior
Jamie Sorensen (Omaha, Neb.). Two wild pitches advanced two Cougars to second and third, where Bouman hit a two-out double that scored two runs, earning a 5-4 lead.
MMC's Kristin Loutsch had a lead-off single in the sixth inning, then scored on a ground-out play, tying the score at 5-5. Girard then scored what would be the game-winning run, her third of the game, on a double. MMC forced three straight USF outs in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Bouman took the loss in the circle with six innings of work. She allowed four earned runs with three strikesout and four walks. Bouman and Tesar both had multi-hit games, with Tesar scoring two. For MMC, Loutsch earned the win with five innings pitched. Girard finished with three hits, three RBI and two runs in four at-bats.
Game 2
The tempo of game one carried over into game two, with each team fighting for the lead. USF scored twice in the first inning, with Tesar and junior
Jenna Turner (Norfolk, Neb.) scoring with two outs.
Three scoreless innings passed until Mt. Marty tallied their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth, with Michaela Bunde scoring on a one-out single. MMC tied the game and took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning, scoring on a USF error and a single.
With USF down to their last three outs, MMC forced two ground outs. Tesar took the plate with just one out remaining and hit a home run to tie the score at 3-3.
In extra innings, USF could not generate any runs in the eighth frame. Lancer Jen Jerdee then hit a lead-off home run to end the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Sorensen pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs with two strikeouts in the loss. Along with her team-leading fourth home run of the season, Tesar had three hits, two runs and one RBI in four at-bats. Brittany Bruns earned the win for MMC.
Up Next
USF will play in their regular season finale, hosting Hastings College (19-22 overall, 8-12 GPAC) tomorrow, May 2 at Sherman Park with a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.
