Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DENVER, COLO. – The University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (4-1) split their final two games of the Metro State Triangular to move to 4-1 on the season with a 2-1 extra inning victory over Metro State (0-4) and a 13-2 five inning loss to University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (2-1) on Sunday at the Regency Athletic Complex.

Through five games, USF has scored 23 runs with 37 hits, two home runs and 24 RBI. USF has a .368 OBP, .271 batting average and .414 slugging mark. Freshman Lexie Swift has started career fast with a .556 OBP, .429 bating averaging and a .786 slugging mark through three games. Emily Chehola is also hitting .429, while Emily Hove is hitting .353 and Sydnie Nieveen is at .313 through the five games.

USF pitcher Courtney Mathew tossed seventh complete game in her career in the 2-1 win over Metro State. So far this season, Mathew has a 1.69 earned run average, has held opponents to a .253 batting average, and is 3-0 with two complete games. Mathew has appeared in four games with two starts already in the 2019 campaign.

USF 2 Metro State 1 (8 Innings)
Mathews (3-0), a junior from Lee's Summit, Mo., allowed eight hits across eight innings and allowed just one earned run while registering six strikeouts in the victory. She has now won three games in three appearances and allowed 19 hits and four runs with 15 strikeouts across 18 innings through her first three games this season.

Swift has gotten off to a hot start in the first five games her freshman season as she has six hits in 14 at-bats for a batting percentage of .429 including two triples, one double and has scored five runs with one RBI. Against MSU, Swift had one hit which led to the first USF run and drew one walk in the win. USF got out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Sydney Nieveen, who finished one-for-four with one RBI, ripped a double down the line to score Swift.  The Cougars were held in check until the top of the eighth inning when Sarah Keen laced a double down the third-base line and, after a throwing error by the infield, advanced to third and ultimately scored the game winning run. Emily Cheloha recorded a hit in her sole at-bat, and Frankie Mickelson went one-for-three in the contest.

Darby McGee (0-1) took the loss for MSU on the mound, but McGee led the team offensively with three hits and a run scored.

MSU tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Laney Sheppard lined a single into left field to score McGee.  The MSU offense was held to eight hits on the day, but stranded nine runners on base as Mathews and the USF defense limited MSU to a single run scored.

USF 2 Colorado-Colorado Springs 13 (5 innings)
In the second game of the day, UC-CS scored 12 runs in the first two innings and added another run in the third while USF was held to a pair of runs in the five inning loss.

Kerrigan Hoshaw (0-1) was roughed up early in the contest, allowing eight runs, five earned, and seven hits in one inning of work. Kaitlyn VanDerZwaag came in as a relief pitcher and gave up four earned runs, and Mathews finished up the game pitching the final two innings allowing one earned run on two hits.

USF had six hits and three walks in the five innings of play with two runs as a result. Emily Hove had one hit and one RBI in the contest, while Nieveen had the other RBI of the game as she went one-for three at the plate. Kylie Madrid capitalized in her sole plate appearance, recording a base hit and one run scored.

UC-CS pitcher Crenshaw (1-0) allowed six hits and two runs in her first win of the season. Crenshaw had plenty of run support in the game as UC-CS scored 13 runs in their four innings of play with 12 hits and one walk. Rayle Glover led the UC-CS offense with three hits, three runs scored and one RBI in the contest.

USF will next compete in the Emporia State Tournament beginning on Feb. 22 against Nebraska-Kearney at 10 a.m. in Emporia, Kans.