SIOUX FALLS – Wrapping up their non-conference schedule, University of Sioux Falls Softball swept Dakota State and extended their winning streak to 12 games. After a scoreless first inning in game one, Sioux Falls (15-8) recorded multiple runs in the next five en route to an 18-9 victory in six innings. In game two, the Cougars hit four homeruns, including two by sophomore Ashley Meyer, and used a solid pitching performance by Kerrigan Hoshaw for a 7-2 win.
 
Sioux Falls 18, Dakota State 9 (6 innings)
Sioux Falls and Dakota State combined for 33 hits, but it was the Cougars' timely hitting, including three homeruns, led them to an 18-9 victory. Breanna Black earned her seventh win of the season with four innings of work. Lindsey Mossman led USF with three hits and was joined by Sydney Nieveen and Jasmine Ragusi as the Cougars to hit a homerun.
 
Dakota State built a 2-0 lead with one run in each of the first two innings. Sioux Falls responded in their second at-bat with three runs on a pair of hits. Emily Miller scored the first two with a two-RBI single down the leftfield line and Black drove in the third with an RBI groundout.
 
The Lady T's regained the lead with two more runs in the top of the third inning, but USF answered again with four in the bottom half. Mossman led off the inning with a solo homerun and Ragusi followed two batters later with a solo dinger. A double from Kerrigan Hoshaw and Emily Hove pushed across the next Cougar run and Miller tallied her third RBI with a single to score Hove.
 
Dakota State drew within one run, 7-6, with two more runs in the fourth inning. As they'd done all game, the Cougars scored four more time in the bottom half. Base hits by Megan Peterson and Mossman forced a DSU pitching change, but the Cougars continued their offensive outburst. Nieveen was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Ragusi drove in two runs with a double. Hoshaw and Ashley Meyer each drove in a run with RBI groundouts to put the Cougars up 11-6.
 
The Lady T's again cut into the lead with three runs in the top of the fifth inning before USF responded again with five tallies. Mossman drove in the first run with a groundout and an error helped extend USF's at-bat. Nieveen singled in the next run and scored on a double steal for the third run. Meyer singled in the fourth before Hove recorded her second double of the game to score the fifth run.
 
Mathews shut down the Dakota State side in the top of the sixth, allowing the Cougars to end the game early. Mossman connected on her second double with one out and Nieveen secured the win in walkoff fashion with a two-run homerun to leftfield.
 
Sioux Falls 7, Dakota State 2
Using the long ball to complete their sweep of Dakota State, Sioux Falls hit four homeruns in a 7-2 victory. Kerrigan Hoshaw returned to the circle and earned the complete game victory. Ashley Meyer recorded three hits and drove in four runs with a pair of homeruns as Lindsey Mossman and Hoshaw each connected on homeruns.
 
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning, Emily Miller drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly. Dakota State responded with a run on three hits in the second, but Hoshaw escaped any further damage with an inning-ending strikeout.
 
The game remained tied at 1-1 until USF's at-bat in the bottom of the third inning when Mossman and Meyer connecting on solo homeruns. Mossman hit her third homer of the season to lead off the inning and Meyer followed two batters later with her second of the year.
 
Hoshaw tossed shutout innings in the fourth and fifth, but USF didn't add to their lead until the fifth. With two outs, Hoshaw hit a no-doubt homerun off the centerfield scoreboard, giving the Cougars a 4-1 lead.
 
Dakota State cut into the Cougar lead in the top of the sixth, scoring on a pair of hits. Padding their lead, Meyer connected on her second homerun of the game. With two outs, Mossman reached on an error and Nieveen singled to set up Meyer's three-run blast for USF's 7-2 lead.
 
After a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, Hoshaw's defense helped finish the game. A pair of near-double plays preceded a hard lineout stabbed by Emily Miller at third base to end the game.
 
With Friday's non-conference game against Augustana cancelled due to the weather forecast, Sioux Falls will return to action on Tuesday, March 27 in their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener against Southwest Minnesota State.