WINONA, Minn. – Wrapping up their first week of the conference season on the road, University of Sioux Falls Softball dropped both games of a doubleheader at Winona State on Sunday. The Cougars (16-15, 3-3 NSIC) fell 6-1 in game one then were held to one hit in an 8-0 loss in game two. USF begins a six-game home stand with their home opener on Tuesday, April 4 against Minnesota State at Sherman Park.
Winona State 6, Sioux Falls 1
Sioux Falls manufactured a run in the top of the third, but the steady bats of Winona State and pitching performance from McKenna Larsen was too much for the Cougars in a 6-1 defeat.
Kerrigan Hoshaw was handed the loss after a surrendering four runs in two innings of work.
Breanna Black came on in relief and allowed four hits in four innings of work to limit the damage.
The Cougars went down in order in their first two trips to the plate, and after WSU scored twice in the bottom of the second, USF responded. With two outs,
Britni Broussard reached on an error then stole second, moving her into scoring position.
Lindsey Mossman drove her in with a single to left field and
Emma Schifferle followed with a single of her own, but the Cougar rally stopped there.
Winona State scored in each of the next three innings, stretching their lead to 6-1 with two in the third, and one tally in the fourth and fifth.
Kenna Heath added USF's third hit of the game with a one-out single in the fourth inning.
Winona State 8, Sioux Falls 0 (5 inn.)
Limited to just one hit, Sioux Falls suffered an 8-0 loss to Winona State to finish the doubleheader.
Jasmine Ragusi singled with two outs in the fourth inning to break the Cougars' hitless streak, but a six-run first inning by Winona State set the Warriors up for the shortened game.
WSU scored six runs in the bottom of the first with five hits in the inning and the first 11 Cougars were retired in order to start the game. The Warriors tacked on runs in the third and fourth innings to build their eight-run lead and despite Ragusi's hit, the Cougars couldn't find their way on the scoreboard.
