Looking to build some momentum before heading into the NSIC Conference Tournament, the USF softball team took care of business as they took both games in the doubleheader, winning 3-0 and 5-3 over MSU Moorhead. The Cougars hit 0.286 over the two game series while driving in nine runs.
USF 4, MSU Moorhead 0
The Cougars took the lead in the second inning when Bailey Bouman hit a homerun to centerfield in the first at bat of the inning. Bouman ended the game going 2-of-3 at the plate with one RBI.
In the fifth inning, Kellen Dewey hit a triple, but then an error by the second baseman allowed her to cross the plate and put USF up by two runs. Dewey connected for hits in two of her three at bats for the Cougars.
With runners on first and second with no outs in the seventh inning, Shae Hoskins hit a double to left centerfield that made way for Bailey Bouman to cross the plate. Later in the inning, a wild pitch by the Dragons allowed Amanda Walters to score from third base and gave the Cougars a 4-0 lead.
Amanda Walters (18-8) picked up the victory for the Cougars as she struck out ten Dragon batters and gave up only four hits in the shutout victory. Walters stifled the MSUM batters at the plate, allowing opposing batters to hit just 0.174 in the box and recording ten strikeouts.
Morgan Nybo (8-12) was charged with the loss as she gave up six hits and three earned runs in her time on the mound.
The Cougars scored their four runs on six hits while committing zero errors.
USF 5, MSU Moorhead 3
The Dragons took the lead early in game two as they scored one run in three of the first four innings to take a three-run lead into the fifth inning. MSUM got on the board in the second inning when a double down the rightfield line by Jill Fox brought in one unearned run.
In the third inning a double to left centerfield by Brittany York drove in one run and gave MSU Moorhead a two-run lead.
The Dragons then extended their lead to three runs in the fourth inning when Kristy Bruni opened up the inning with a home run to leftfield.
After four straight scoreless innings for USF, the Cougars shook off the offensive rust as they took command of the game with a five-run fifth inning. Kellen Dewey got things off to a good start when she opened up the inning by hitting a solo shot to left centerfield to bring USF within two runs.
After a single by Shannon Daly put runners on second and third with one out, Betsy Thomas came up to bat and hit a double that brought in Brooke Stetzler and Andrea Sheppard Kauwalu to score and pushed Shannon Daly to third base.
In the next at bat, Bailey Bouman hit a single to left center that drove in Shannon Daly and Betsy Thomas to give USF a 5-3 lead that they would not relinquish.
Bailey Bouman picked up the win for the Cougars as she gave up six hits and two earned runs in four innings on the mound. Amanda Walters came on in relief in the fifth inning for USF, picking up her third save of the season as she pitched three innings and only gave up one hit and no earned runs while striking out three Dragon batters.
Kristen Nordby was credited with the loss as she gave up ten hits and four earned runs in her time on the mound.
USF scored their five runs on ten hits while committing two errors.
With the pair of wins, the Cougars clinch the five seed in the 2014 NSIC Softball Tournament held in Sioux Falls this next week. USF will square off with the number four seed Wayne State at Sherman Park on Thursday, May 1 at 12 p.m.
