SIOUX FALLS - With a game-two win, University of Sioux Falls Softball split with Upper Iowa and set a new Division II era record for wins in a season. The Cougars (33-18, 17-11 NSIC) fell 4-0 in the first leg of the Sunday doubleheader, then rode a strong pitching performance from
Kerrigan Hoshaw to earn a 6-1 victory in game two. USF totaled 32 wins last season, finishing with a 32-23 record after three wins in the conference tournament, but their game-two win set a new mark for most wins in a season in USF Softball's Division II era.
The Cougars guaranteed themselves a spot in the NSIC Tournament, which is set for April 28-30 at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls, earlier this week and they await their seeding after the conclusion of the St. Cloud State-Minot State series on Monday, April 25. With a 17-11 record in the NSIC regular season, Sioux Falls is in line for either the No. 7 or 8 seed and will play their first round game at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 28.
Game One: Upper Iowa 4, Sioux Falls 0
Sioux Falls was held to five hits and Upper Iowa converted 10 hits into a 4-0 victory. Emily Hove had two of USF's five base hits while Breanna Black threw all seven innings for the Cougars, allowing three earned runs with five strikeouts, but was saddled with the loss to drop her record to 17-8.
Each team recorded a hit in their first at-bat, the Cougars getting theirs from a Brooke Stetzler leadoff single, but neither could plate a run. Upper Iowa used a USF error in the second inning to strike first, scoring one run on two hits for a 1-0 lead.
Black singled with two outs in the second and Megan Peterson recorded a base hit to center to lead off the third, but neither effort resulted in a run. Black scattered four hits over the next four innings and held the Peacock offense in check to keep USF within one run through six innings. Hove logged her first hit with two outs in the fourth inning, a single through the left side.
The Upper Iowa offense broke open the game in the seventh inning, score three more runs to add cushion to their lead. Hove attempted to spark a rally with one out in the final inning, singling up the middle, but a groundout and flyout ended the possible Cougar comeback in a 4-0 loss.
Game Two: Sioux Falls 6, Upper Iowa 1
Alyson Netty led USF with three hits and drove in three runs as the Cougars scored six runs despite being out-hit by Upper Iowa in the 6-1 USF victory. Brooke Stetzler recorded two hits and three more Cougars added a base knock for eight hits, while starting pitcher Kerrigan Hoshaw limited Upper Iowa's offensive production to just one run on 11 hits.
After Hoshaw started with a perfect inning, USF built their first lead of the day with two runs in the bottom of the first. Stetzler singled down the leftfield line to lead off and stole second. Danielle Walker singled in the next at-bat and both were moved into scoring position on a Shannon Daly groundout. Netty drove both runners in with a single to right field, giving USF a 2-1 lead.
The second inning was scoreless for both teams, allowing Upper Iowa to cut their deficit in half with a run in the third. The Peacocks tallied three hits, but Hoshaw minimized the possible damage to just one run as she stranded two UIU peacocks in the third.
The Cougars wasted no time rebuilding their lead as Netty and Betsy Thomas drove in three runs in the bottom of the third. Stetzler again led off with a bunt single and Walker reached on a fielding error. After a Walker stolen base to put two runners in scoring position, Stetzler was tagged out at home on a fielder's choice. Netty added her third RBI of the game with a single up the middle, scoring Walker from third. In the next at-bat, Betsy Thomas doubled to left center scoring Shannon Daly and Brittany Hoffman, who pinch-ran for Netty, to put USF up 5-1 through three innings.
The Peacocks threatened in the fourth with back-to-back singles to start the fourth inning, but Hoshaw again evaded trouble with the help of a brilliant catch by Daly on a foul ball. The Cougars again expanded on their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Brianna led off with a perfectly-placed bunt single to third base and she went from first to third on a Leah Husemoen groundout. With two outs, Walker drove in the sixth USF run with hard shot down the left field line.
Hoshaw worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning and USF was kept scoreless despite two baserunners in their turn at the plate in the fifth. Hoshaw again worked out of traffic on the basepaths in the sixth, giving up two hits, but leaving the UIU runners on second and third with a pair of flyouts.
The Cougars went down in order in the bottom of the sixth and needed just three outs to secure their record-breaking win. After a leadoff single, Painter doubled off the baserunner, making a running catch and throw for a double play. The Peacocks rejuvenated their comeback attempt with two singles, but Hoshaw ended the game with a five-pitch strikeout of the Upper Iowa cleanup hitter to secure her 15th win of the season.
