ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Finishing their nonconference schedule, University of Sioux Falls Softball dropped their final two games of the Hy-Vee Classic on Sunday. The Cougars (13-12) suffered a 10-1 defeat to Northwest Missouri State in their first game then fell 6-1 to No. 9 Central Oklahoma in the afternoon contest. The Cougars open their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule next week, traveling to Southwest Minnesota State for a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 28.
 
Northwest Missouri State 10, Sioux Falls 1
Northwest Missouri State was opportunistic of Sioux Falls miscues as the Bearcats scored eight unearned runs and handed the Cougars a 10-1 defeat in USF's first contest. A six-run NWMSU fourth inning broke the game open and USF struggled offensively, managing just three hits with Emily Hove supplying the Cougars' lone RBI.
 
Northwest scored first, plating a run in the top of the second, but the Cougars responded immediately. Sydney Nieveen led off by getting hit by a pitch before she was sacrificed to second on a bunt then third on a groundout. Hove stepped to the plate and doubled to left centerfield, scoring the only Cougar run of the game.
 
The Bearcats retook the lead in the third inning with an unearned run, then erupted for six runs in fourth. One USF error allowed NWMSU to plate five of their six runs in an unearned fashion and the trend continued as the Bearcats pushed across two more unearned runs in the sixth inning to pull ahead 10-1. Sioux Falls's last chance to answer wasn't enough to extend the game as Kerrigan Hoshaw's one-out single was the final hit of the game.
 
No. 9 Central Oklahoma 6, Sioux Falls 1
Lindsey Mossman connected on three hits but the leadoff hitter's season-best performance at the plate wasn't enough, as No. 9 Central Oklahoma scored four unearned runs in their 6-1 victory. Three other Cougars recorded a base hit and Emily Hove again drove in the Cougars' only run, but it was defensive miscues for USF that allowed the Bronchos to move past Sioux Falls.
 
Jasmine Ragusi singled in the Cougars' first trip to the plate, which UCO followed with four runs, all unearned, in the bottom of the first. The Bronchos tacked on one more run in the second with, scoring after a leadoff triple for a 5-0 lead.
 
Central Oklahoma added their final run in the fourth inning and the Cougars didn't respond until the sixth. Kerrigan Hoshaw led off by getting hit by a pitch and Sydney Nieveen singled to move her into scoring position. With two outs, Hove singled to plate USF's first run, but the Cougars comeback was ended after that.