The University of Sioux Falls softball team (3-3, 0-0 NSIC) dropped a pair of non-conference games today in Pittsburg, Kan., dropping a 6-5 heartbreaker to Northwest Missouri State before falling 5-1 to the host PSU Gorillas. The Cougars first fell victim to a seventh-inning rally at the hands of Northwest Missouri State (3-6), as the Bearcats scored three unearned runs in the final stanza to stun USF, 6-5. USF led for most of the game after falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning. The Cougars led 2-1 after three innings, and had led 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh. 
In the top of the third, Brittany Hoffmann got things going with a one-out single and moved up to second on a Bearcat error. Brooke Stetzler also reached base on the Bearcat hiccup and Shannon Daly scored both with a two-run double to right center to put USF in front 2-0. USF starter Amber Prow retired the Bearcat side in the bottom of the third before Kellen Dewey delivered an RBI double and Hoffmann followed with an RBI grounder to make it 4-1 USF going to the bottom of the fourth. The pesky Bearcats got one back in their half of the fourth courtesy of an error by the USF third-sacker and the teams exchanged runs in the sixth to put the score at 5-3 going into the seventh. Daly drew a lead-off one but was left stranded as the Cougars then went down 1-2-3 to end the inning. A pair of Cougar errors bookended by an RBI double allowed Northwest Missouri to tie the game at 5-5. Bearcat Baylee. Scarbrough then dropped in an infield single to put winning run on third base. Cassidy Lee then stepped to the plate and hit a shot up the middle, which was halted by USF second baseman Kellen Dewey but she was unable to get the throw off and the runner at third crossed home plate to complete the last inning comeback for the 6-5 win. Daly went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of ribbies to lead the Cougars. Dewey, Hoffmann and Broussard each tallied an RBI. The Cougars recorded seven hits, struck out six times and left six runners on base. Prow allowed two runs on four hits in four innings, walking three and striking out two. Amanda Walters took the loss in relief (1-2), as she gave up four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings. In the nightcap, senior Tiffany Brown hit a home run and finished with two hits and two RBI to lead host Pittsburg State to a 5-1 victory over the University of Sioux Falls at the PSU Complex in Pittsburg, Kan. After the Gorillas got on the board in the top of the first inning on a pair of RBI doubles scoring Brenna George and Bailey Letts, the game was scoreless until the top of the fifth when Pittsburg State (9-4) scored two more unanswered runs via a lead-off homer and a two-out RBI base knock to left center to take a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the frame. That was more than enough run support for PSU ace Samantha Grove (6-0), who picked up the complete game win after allowing two hits and one unearned run in seven innings. Grove issued four walks and fanned four Cougars.
The Cougars were held to one hit until the bottom of the sixth, when they broke up the shut-out when Taylor Jonas slapped an field ground-out that plated pinch-runner Andrea Sheppard Kauwalu, who was in scoring position thanks to Shannon Daly's lead-off single.
The Gorillas tacked on one more insurance run in the top of the seventh before USF went quietly in the bottom of the seventh to create the final margin.
Cougar starter Amanda Walters (2-2) took the loss in her third start of the season, allowing 10 hits and five runs with four walks and 12 strikeouts over five innings.
USF is next in action on Wednesday, March 5, when they travel to Nebraska for a two-game series against Chadron State.
