SIOUX FALLS - Setting a Division II-era program-best for consecutive wins, University of Sioux Falls Softball swept Mount Marty on Wednesday afternoon to push their winning streak to 10 games. Senior Breanna Black struck out a career-best nine batters and allowed just one hits as USF (13-8) rolled to a 11-0 five-inning victory in game one. In game two, four different Cougars recorded multiple hits and sophomore Courtney Mathews allowed just two as Sioux Falls completed the sweep with a 10-2 win in five innings.

Sioux Falls 11, Mount Marty 0 (5 innings)
Breanna Black was one infield hit away from her first career no-hitter, but the senior pitcher struck out a career-high nine batters to lead Sioux Falls to an 11-0 win over Mount Marty in the first leg of their doubleheader. Senior Megan Peterson had two of the Cougars' eight hits and sophomores Lindsey Mossman and Sydney Nieveen each drove in two runs as USF capitalized on three Lancer errors in the victory.

Sioux Falls wasted no time building their lead on the back of MMC miscues, scoring six unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded, Ashley Meyer drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly and following a hit batsmen to reload the bases, Jasmine Ragusi, who reached on the first Lancer error, scored on the second MMC fielding mistake.

Black kept the Cougar rally going with a sharp single past the third baseman, scoring Francesca Mickelson. Peterson worked a bases-loaded walk to drive in another run and Mossman capped off the Cougars' big inning with a two-out double to left-centerfield, scoring Black and Emily Miller.

Keeping her no-hit bid intact, Black worked a perfect second frame, striking out all three Mount Marty batters. USF manufactured their eighth run in the bottom half of the inning as Ragusi singled to lead off, advanced to second on a groundout and moved to third on a wild pitch. Hove drove her teammate in with a single to centerfield for a 7-0 USF advantage.

The Lancers' 10th batter of the game was the first to reach on a hit when Black tipped a comebacker and Hove's tag on the runner advancing from first to second base was ruled to have missed her. Black shook it off and struck out her sixth batter of the game and retired the side with a groundout.

Peterson led off the bottom of the third with her first hit of the game, but the Cougars' lead held at seven runs. Black induced a pair of groundouts and her seventh strikeout to maintain her shutout through four innings.  

Leading off the bottom half, Mickelson hit her third homerun of the game, a line drive down the left field line for an 8-0 lead. Following Hove's base on balls, USF put two runners on with Emily Cheloha reaching on a fielder's choice and Cassie Van Beek working a walk. Peterson notched her second hit on a single up the middle and Cheloha came around to score on an error by the Lancers' centerfielder. Peterson and Van Beek scored after moving into scoring position when Mossman was hit by a pitch, and Nieveen drove both in with a hard shot off the pitcher's glove for USF's 11-0 lead.

Black worked her second 1-2-3 inning of the game, striking out two more in the fifth inning to end the game in five.

Sioux Falls 10, Mount Marty 2 (5 innings)
With seven runs in the third inning, Sioux Falls broke open their second game against Mount Marty and they cruised to a 10-2 victory in five innings to complete the sweep. Four different Cougars recorded multiple hits, led by Emily Hove's three, and Courtney Mathews allowed just two hits for USF's 10th straight win.

Both teams were held scoreless in the first inning and Mount Marty struck first, pushing across one run in the top of the second with a pair of hits. USF responded when freshman Emmie Uitts singled to score Francesca Mickelson, tying the game at 1-1.

The Lancers earned their second run without a hit, turning a walk into a run after a stolen base then sacrifices in way of bunt and flyout giving them a 2-1 edge. The Cougars again capitalized on MMC mistakes with six hits and two errors yielding seven runs in the bottom of the third.

Mossman logged her second hit of the game to lead off the third and scored three batters later on Francesca Mickelson's single. Hove drove in two more runs with her second base hit. Uitts reached safely again with an error, scoring Mickelson on the play. Emily Cheloha drove in another run with a single and Megan Peterson followed with an RBI single to center. For the final run, Mossman recorded a sacrifice fly to score Cheloha.

With an 8-2 lead, Mathews worked a perfect fourth inning, setting up the Cougars for two more runs in the bottom half. Jasmine Ragusi singled to lead off and advanced to second on an error by the MMC leftfielder. Mickelson drove her in with a single to right and she was driven in by Hove's third hit, a double over the leftfielder's head.

Looking to end their second straight game in five innings, Mathews worked out of a jam after a dropped fly ball, and induced a game-ending groundout to third base.

The Cougars continue their final stretch of non-conference games with a doubleheader against Dakota State on Thursday, March 22 at 12 p.m. at Augustana's Bowden Field.