SIOUX FALLS – Knocking off the preseason conference favorite and eighth-ranked team in NCAA Division II, University of Sioux Falls Softball split their doubleheader with No. 8 on Thursday afternoon. The Cougars (18-8, 3-1 NSIC) handed the Warriors their first conference loss of the season on Lindsey Mossman's walkoff single to win game one, 4-3. In game two, Breanna Black posted a career-high 12 strikeouts, but the Cougars saw their 15-game winning streak end with an extra-inning 5-2 loss to Winona State.

The Cougars close out their conference-opening home stand against Upper Iowa on Friday, March 30 with a doubleheader set to begin at 2 p.m. at Sherman Park.

Sioux Falls 4, No. 8 Winona State 3
Timely hitting and an impressive pitching performance from junior Kerrigan Hoshaw kept Sioux Falls' winning streak intact as Lindsey Mossman's walkoff single led the Cougars to a 4-3 win over Winona State. WSU was pegged as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference favorite by the league coaches in the preseason poll an USF handed the Warriors their first conference loss of the season with their second walkoff win in as many days.

Mossman and fellow sophomore Francesca Mickelson both recorded two hits and combined for all four USF runs batted in – Mossman drove in three in her 2-for-4 effort at the plate. Hoshaw earned her fourth win of the season, throwing all seven innings while allowing two earned runs on eight hits.

Winona State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, hitting a solo homerun to break the scoreless tie. The Cougars were quick to answer scoring three in the bottom half of the inning.

Emily Hove, Breanna Black and Mickelson strung together three singles with one out and Emily Cheloha drove in the tying run on a groundout to second. Mossman gave Sioux Falls the lead with a double to left field, driving in two more runs for a 3-1 USF advantage.

With a two-run cushion, Hoshaw retired the Winona State side in order in the third inning before the Warriors drew within one run on their second solo homerun in the fourth. NSIC preseason pitcher of the year McKenna Larson tossed four straight scoreless frames ­­after giving up three in the second and Hoshaw worked her way out jams in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the Cougars on top, 3-2.

Tying the game in seventh inning, Winona State scored an unearned run in the top half. Black started the Cougar rally with a one-out walk. Mickelson followed with her second hit of the game, legging out an infield single to move Black into scoring position. Cheloha's fly ball was tracked down by the WSU centerfielder for the second out of the inning, but Mossman came up big again in the following at-bat.

On a 1-0 pitch, Mossman drove the ball to centerfield and Black avoided the tag at the plate, diving to touch home and score the winning run.

No. 8 Winona State 5, Sioux Falls 2 (9 innings)
A pitcher's duel in its truest form saw a scoreless tie through five innings and a 1-1 draw through eight. Breanna Black was masterful in the circle for USF, pitching all nine innings and posting a career-high 12 strikeouts with a wide array of pitches. However, the Winona State attack finally broke through in the top of the ninth and an error allowed them a four-run cushion that held for the 5-2 win over USF.

Winona State threatened several times in the first six innings, but Black was up to task as she stranded seven runners in the first six frames. Black struck out the side in the top of the first, leaving two runners on then struck out two more to end the third, leaving the bases loaded.

Ashley Meyer, who had two of USF's six hits in the game, broke up Winona State's no-hit bid in the fourth inning, but the Cougars were held off the board. Black fanned another hitter in the fifth inning then doubled with one out in the bottom half, but USF couldn't break the tie.

After Black's sixth consecutive shutout inning, USF finally broke through against WSU starter Jordyn Kleman. Sydney Nieveen earned first when she was hit by a pitch with one out. Meyer nearly gave the Cougars a two-run lead when her line drive struck the fence on the fly, giving her a double and moving Nieveen to third. Kerrigan Hoshaw drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to rightfield, putting the Cougars up 1-0 entering the seventh inning.

Winona State answered in their final trip to the plate of regulation, but not without drama. A pair of hits put runners on the corners before Black struck out her eighth batter for the first out then nearly snagged a line drive, but the bounce off her glove allowed the tying run to score. Not out of the inning, Black induced a ground ball for the second out, but advanced the go-ahead run to third. With a full count, Black fanned her ninth hitter of the game, keeping the game tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the seventh.

The Cougars were unable to score in the bottom half and Black kept the game tied in the eighth inning with two more strikeouts. Lindsey Mossman singled with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but two flyouts ended the USF threat.

In the ninth, the Warriors scored the go-ahead run with two outs then tacked on three more after an infield single caused an errant throw.

USF didn't roll over in the bottom of the ninth as Hoshaw doubled to lead off then scored on Emily Hove's triple to centerfield. Looking to extend the game, Black hit a hard line drive at the shortstop, but the WSU infielder stabbed the ball and doubled off Hove at third to end the game.