Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, FLA.— The University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (10-8) utilized their power to defeat Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 7-0, in game one, then fell to New York Institute of Technology, 4-2, later on Satuday to wrap up the Florida spring break trip. 

Emily Hove, Lexie Swift and Emmie Uitts each hit home runs to power USF past Pittburgh-Johnstown as the USF offense produced at least seven runs for the seventh time this season. USF, which has won four of six games, finished the spring break trip with a 5-4 mark.

Game 1: Sioux Falls 7, Pitt.-Johnstown 0
Junior Courtney Mathews moved to 5-3 on the season by allowing just eight hits in her first combined shutout of the season. In working six innings, Mathews held Pittsburgh-Johnstown at bay while enticing 10 ground outs and striking out a hitter.    Freshman Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag closed for USF in the seventh inning and preserved the shutout by closing with just one hit.

In their strong offensive showing, Swift hit her second home run of the season which was a two-run shot. Hove and Uitts each recorded a solo shot to lead USF at the plate.

Hove now has a team-high six home runs this season as she hammered the 17th homer of her career. With that total she now ranks sixth all-time in USF's DII era. On Saturday, Hove had two hits in three plate appearances as she added a single. With her RBI, she now has a team-best 19 and 88 for her career, a total which places her fourth all-time on USF's DII life.

Swift, who improved her batting average to .489 on the season with a team-high 22 hits, also drew a walk and scored twice while Uitts also had two runs scored in addition to her second home run of the season. 
 
Sarah Keen capitalized on her sole plate appearance as she singled up the middle, stole a base, and later scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Kylie Madrid.

USF scored first with Hove's solo home run in the first inning. Swift then walked and advanced to third on a single by Cassie Van Beek. Emily Miller drove in Swift with a sacrifice fly to left field to give USF a 2-0 lead.

USF scored a pair of runs in the third inning after Hove singled and Swift hit her two-run home run. Uitts slammed her solo home run in the fourth to give the Cougars a commanding 5-0 lead late in the game. Two runs in the top of the seventh inning sealed the game for USF and put the game out of reach.

Game 2: NY Institute of Technology 4 Sioux Falls 2
Senior Kerrigan Hoshaw started for USF and took the loss for USF, despite throwing a complete game. She allowed four earned runs on nine hits while walking three batters and striking out four. In her seven innings of work, Hoshaw threw 117 total pitches and recorded eight fly-outs and nine ground-outs. 

The USF offense was not able to break about against NYIT as they scored two runs on seven hits. Hove continued her strong day at the plate going two-for-four including an RBI double in the third inning. Francesca Mickelson and Sydney Nieveen each had a hit and run scored. Swift tallied one hit on two plate appearances and drew two walks. 

USF broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when Mickelson singled to right center field then stole second base. Hove drove her in with a double to right field to put USF up, 1-0. 

NYIT wasted little time gaining the lead as they scored three runs on four hits, while also leaving three runners on base. The Bears capitalized on four singles and two walks to score their runs, but Hoshaw left the bases loaded with a two-out strikeout to end the inning. 

USF scored one unearned run in the bottom half of the fourth inning to cut the lead, 3-2.  But NY Institute added a run to close the scoring.

USF will return to action on Friday, March 22 as they face Emporia State at 10 a.m., and Missouri Western State at 2 p.m. in a pair of non conference games as a part of the Missouri Western State University Classic.