The USF softball team defeated Wisconsin-Parkside, 6-3---its first season-opening victory since the 2009 season---but fell to No. 23 Winona State, 7-1, in its second game of the day at the RCTC Dome in Rochester, Minn.
The Cougars open the 2012 campaign 1-1. "I'm very happy with our first outing," said first-year head coach Travis Lape, who picked up his first victory as a collegiate head coach. "We are a young team and need to learn to quickly overcome mistakes and not let mental errors hurt us. Good teams like Winona State will capitalize on those mistakes time and time again."
"We still have a lot of work to do, but this was a great start to the season," he added.
The Cougars came out swinging against the Rangers (0-4), scoring four runs in the top of the second inning. Sophomore transfer Kellen Dewey started things with a leadoff double, her first hit as a Cougar, and was brought home on a single by Elliott Lenz. Lenz crossed the plate after a pair of Ranger errors, a hit by pitch and a fly-out by Katie Larson. A two-run double by Priscilla Quintana completed the scoring spree.
Sophomore pitcher and Washington product Amanda Walters, who earned the win against Wisconsin-Parkside, struck out three of the first four Rangers she faced. Walters hit Lauren Vitello with one out in the second, but the Cougar infield posted consecutive putouts at first and second to keep the score at 4-0 going into the third frame.
Dewey blasted a solo shot to centerfield in the third to make it 5-0 in favor of USF.
In the bottom of the frame, the Rangers cut the deficit to 2, 5-3 with a pair of RBI base knocks and smart base-running after a Cougar throwing error.
Both teams went three up, three down in the fourth and fifth frames.
Junior Naomi Tesar gave the Cougars an insurance run in the sixth when she lifted a solo shot to left field.
Walters settled down in the circle and scattered just two singles across the final four innings. She gave up three runs on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts in the complete game victory.
"Amanda did a great job on the mound and Naomi and Kellen both hitting home runs was a highlight," Lape said. "This tells me that our offseason batting practice really is going to pay off."
Defensive miscues doomed the Cougars in game two. USF recorded more errors (8) than hits (5) and suffered a 7-1 setback to the no. 23 Winona State Warriors (8-1).
Dewey took the loss after giving up 4 runs on six hits and issuing one walk. She also tallied four strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.
The nightcap was scoreless until the top of the third when the Warriors took advantage of a Cougar infield error and scored two runs.
Winona State freshman Morgan Lintz led off the fourth with a solo shot to right field and the Warriors tacked on another run after a catcher's interference call with the bases loaded.
USF got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Quintana smacked a double to left field and was knocked in on a single by Noelle Roden, but that is as close as USF would come.
The Warriors tacked on a three-run homer in the fifth to create the final margin.
USF will travel to Upper Iowa on March 14.
