Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 CLERMONT, Fla. – Snapping a four-game losing streak, University of Sioux Falls Softball reeled off four straight wins as they continue their spring break trip. On Monday, March 12, USF trounced California (Pa.), 10-0, in five innings then defeated Salem (W.Va.) in their second game of the day, 8-1. With their offense continuing to lead, USF topped Northwood (Mich.), 9-5, to start Tuesday, March 13's doubleheader. For their fourth straight win, USF edged out Post University (Conn.), 3-2, to keep their momentum rolling.
 
Sioux Falls 10, California (Pa.) 0, (5 innings)
University of Sioux Falls Softball scored six runs in the first inning and never faltered on defense, cruising to a 10-0 victory over the California Vulcans. Kerrigan Hoshaw earned the victory as USF improved to 2-0 against California after 6-1 win last year.
 
The Cougars batted around in the first inning and left the opening frame with a 6-0 lead. Jasmine Ragusi plated the first run with an RBI double and Ashley Meyer drove in two more two batters later. With the bases loaded, Megan Peterson was hit by a pitch to score one more. Following a Lindsey Mossman RBI single, the Vulcans changed their pitchers a second time. Sydney Nieveen drove in the sixth USF run of the inning before the Cougar side was retired.
 
After threatening to score in the second inning, Ragusi again sparked the Cougar offense. In the top of the third, Ragusi connected on a two-run homerun, her first of the season, and put USF on top 8-0.
 
USF's defense continued to shine as Emily Hove snagged a line drive and doubled off a Cal runner to end the inning. In the bottom of the fourth Francesca Mickelson ended the inning with a big catch in centerfield.
 
Extending their lead after two stellar defensive plays, USF padded their lead. Mossman doubled and Nieveen was hit by a batter. Securing her victory as the pitcher, Hoshaw drove in both runners with a double to centerfield. With the lead in double digits, USF completed the shutout and earned the 10-0 victory in five innings.
 
Sioux Falls 8, Salem 1
Continuing their offensive breakout, Sioux Falls cruised to an 8-1 victory over Salem University on Monday afternoon. Starting pitcher Breanna Black anchored the USF defense and the Cougars again scored six runs in the first inning and coasted to their victory.
 
As the home team, USF never trailed and built what stood as an insurmountable lead in the first inning. Mossman helped manufacture the first run with a single and stolen base then scored in the next at-bat. On an error that helped Jasmine Ragusi reach safely, Sydney Nieveen scored for a 2-0 lead.
 
Kerrigan Hoshaw joined her teammate by reaching via error and Ashley Meyer drove both in to double their lead. Emily Hove singled in the fifth run and Megan Peterson plated the final run of the inning with an RBI single.
 
After Salem scored one run on an obstruction play in the top of the second inning, the Cougars would hold the Tigers scoreless for the next five frames. Black was relieved by Courtney Mathews in the fourth inning after Black tossed three scoreless frames.
 
Mathews kept USF's lead intact and Sioux Falls' Emily Miller and Meyer had base hits in the fifth inning, but USF couldn't extend their advantage. Mathews fanned three batters in the top of the sixth and USF rode that momentum into the bottom half.
 
Francesca Mickelson led off with a single and was joined on the base paths by Miranda White, who was hit by a pitch. Adding two runs, Mossman drove in a pair with a double to give USF an 8-1 lead.
 
With plenty of run support, Mathews closed the door on Salem, posting two more scoreless innings for USF's 8-1 victory.
 
Sioux Falls 9, Northwood 5
Going with the theme of USF's winning streak, the Cougars scored early and held on to defeat Northwood, 9-5, on Tuesday morning. Kerrigan Hoshaw earned her second victory in as many days and USF scored eight or more runs for the third straight game led by homeruns from Lindsey Mossman, Jasmine Ragusi, Emily Hove and Hoshaw.
 
As she is wont to do, Sydney Nieveen was hit by a pitch then driven in by a pair of hits from Ragusi and Hoshaw. Ashley Meyer and Hoshaw were driven in by Emily Hove's two-RBI double, giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead after the first inning.
 
With her second career homerun, Mossman pushed USF's lead to five runs in the second inning after she followed Megan Peterson's double with her dinger. Northwood scored their first run in the bottom half of the second then added two more in the third before USF was able to respond.
 
Nieveen again started a USF rally, singling to lead off the third inning. Ragusi wasted no time driving in her teammate and hit her second homerun of the trip with a two-run blast for a 7-3 Cougar lead. Northwood got one run back in the fifth inning then another in the sixth before USF again used the long ball to extend their lead.
 
Hoshaw led off the sixth inning with a solo homerun, and Hove followed with her one-run blast later in the inning. With a 9-5 advantage, Courtney Mathews came in to close the game. With a strikeout as the final exclamation point, USF notched their third straight win, 9-5.
 
Sioux Falls 3, Post (Conn.) 2
For the fourth straight game, USF scored at least three runs in the first inning and in Tuesday's second leg of their doubleheader, they needed all three for a 3-2 victory over Post University. USF faced the first deficit of their four-game winning streak after a solo homerun in the first inning, but starting pitcher Breanna Black shook it off and earned the victory.
 
Down 1-0 entering the bottom half of the opening frame, USF was quick to answer. Sioux Falls' first two batters Lindsey Mossman and Sydney Nieveen reached safely and were advanced into scoring position after a sacrifice bunt. Capitalizing on her speed, Mossman beat out a throw home on a ground ball to score the tying run, then Nieveen came around to score on an errant throw by the catcher.
 
Pinch runner Cassie Van Beek kept the pressure on by stealing second base and she was rewarded by Emily Hove, who drove her in with a double. After trailing for the first time in two days, USF was ahead 3-1 by the end of the first inning.
 
Post got one run back in the top of the second and USF threatened with singles by Nieveen and Jasmine Ragusi, but couldn't score. Black settled in after allowing runs in the first and second innings, throwing scoreless frames for the next four innings.
 
USF stranded two runners in the third inning, three in the fifth and two more in the sixth, but still led by one after the solid defense and pitching kept Post scoreless.
 
Black's day in the circle was finished with one runner on and one out in the top of the seventh. Courtney Mathews came in to pitch and made quick work of the Eagles with two strikeouts to earn the save and preserve USF's 3-2 victory.