The Cougars used a lethal combination of pitching and hitting as they claimed two victories over Bemidji State at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls on Saturday, defeating the Beavers 8-0 and 11-0. The Cougars hit an impressive 0.433 at the plate in the doubleheader while holding BSU to batting just 0.175.
The pair of wins ties the USF school records for most victories in a season with 26 and most conference victories in a season with 14.
With the victories, the Cougars improve their overall record to 26-8 with a 14-4 mark in league play, while Bemidji State falls to 11-19 on the season with a 0-14 mark in the NSIC.
USF 8, Bemidji State 0 (6 Innings)
With the offense for USF getting out to a slow start, the Cougars relied on an outstanding performance from pitcher Amanda Walters who was just one out short of a perfect game. The Sioux Falls native needed just one more out in the bottom of the sixth inning to claim a perfect game but the Beavers' Brittany Lenander foiled those plans as she hit a single to centerfield that ended the senior pitcher's streak.
After three straight scoreless innings, the Cougars got on the board in the fourth when Kellen Dewey hit a deep shot that left the park and put USF up by two runs. Dewey ended the game going 2-of-3 at the plate with four RBI.
USF saw more of the same when they were at bat in the fifth inning, scoring five total runs. A Betsy Thomas single through the left side got things started as it allowed Erin Scott to score.
Later in the inning Kellen Dewey's hit to centerfield went under the fence and was ruled a ground rule double which added two more runs to USF's lead.
In the next at bat, Taylor Jonas hit a single to center field that brought in Kellen Dewey and Shae Hoskins to put USF up by seven runs after just five innings.
With Betsy Thomas at the plate in the sixth inning, the Cougars got a single up the middle that brought in Shannon Daly to give the Cougars their final margin of victory with eight runs. Thomas ended the day connecting in two of her four at bats while also notching two RBI.
Walters (16-4) claimed the victory for the Cougars as she pitched six innings while allowing only one hit and striking out ten Beaver batters.
The loss was charged to Allison Roberts (3-5) who gave up eight earned runs and fourteen hits in her six innings on the mound.
The Cougars scored their eight runs on fourteen hits with no errors committed. USF also ended the day batting 0.438 with eight RBI while allowing the Beavers to hit just 0.052 in their nineteen at bats.
USF 11, Bemidji State 0 (5 Innings)
USF wasted no time getting on the board in game two as they scored four runs in the first inning. A Betsy Thomas groundout to the second basemen brought in Erin Scott to score the first run for the Cougars.
Later in the inning a Bailey Bouman single through the right side brought Shannon Daly in to put USF up by two runs.
The final two runs of the inning came when an error by the right fielder on a Kellen Dewey at bat gave way for Bailey Bouman and Amanda Walters to score.
The Cougars saw another scoring spree in the third inning which was started off when Kellen Dewey hit a two-run homer that brought in Shae Hoskins and put USF up by six runs.
Later in the inning an Erin Scott double brought in Britni Broussard and Taylor Jonas for the Cougars. Scott ended the second game going 2-of-4 at the plate with two RBI.
In the next at bat, Shannon Daly hit a single through the right side of the defense which brought in Erin Scott. Daly ended the second game of the day notching hits in three of her four at bats while also recording two RBI.
The Cougars final run of the third inning came when Betsy Thomas hit a single to center field that made way for Shannon Daly to cross the plate. Thomas finished up the second game going 3-of-4 at the plate with three RBI.
The final run of the day for the Cougars came in the fifth inning when a Betsy Thomas single brought in Brooke Stetzler and gave the Cougars an 11-0 victory.
Bailey Bouman (9-3) picked up the win for USF as she gave up six hits and no earned runs in five innings on the mound.
The Beavers' Danielle Jecmen was credited with the loss as she gave up eight earned runs and eleven hits in her 2.1 innings on the mound.
USF scored their eleven runs off of twelve hits while committing zero errors. The Cougars hit 0.428 in the second game while holding BSU to just 0.286 at the plate.
The Cougars will return to action on Tuesday, April 15 when they travel to Wayne, Neb. to take on Wayne State who holds the second best conference record in the NSIC. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.
