MARSHALL, MINN. – Despite two solid pitching performances, the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (10-13, 0-2 NSIC) dropped a pair of games to Southwest Minnesota State (7-7, 2-0 NSIC) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday (March 26). USF dropped a 3-1 decision in game one and lost another heart-breaker, 4-3, in the second game despite a two-run home run by Kerrigan Hoshaw.

The Cougars, which has dropped six straight games, will host Bemidji State and Minnesota Crookston on March 30-31 at Sherman Park.

G1 - SMSU 3, Sioux Falls 1
In the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, Kerrigan Hoshaw (3-5) got the start for USF and pitched a six-inning complete game six-hitter. Hoshaw allowed three runs on six hits while allowing three walks and striking out five Mustang batters. Against 23 batters, she threw 106 pitches.. Hoshaw also went one for one at the plate while drawing two walks and scoring the lone USF run.

USF was held in check at the plate by SMSU pitcher Athena Golling, who improved to 4-3 on the season, after throwing a seven-inning complete game six-hitter. She allowed just an unearned run while striking out six and walking two in throwing 125 pitches to 28 hitters.

Emily Hove, Francesca Mickelson, Lexie Swift, Syndey Nieveen and Emily Chehola each recorded a hit in the contest. Swift also stole a pair of bases, while teammates Hove and Maranda White both stole one base.

SMSU broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the first when Madison Krog hit a two-out HR to right center field to give SMSU a 1-0 lead. The Mustangs added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning by totaling three hits and two runs. Emma Grote singled with one out, stole second and scored on a Bailey Johnson double. Johnson later scored on a Kali Tomlinson single for a 3-0 lead.

USF responded in the top half of the fourth inning with one run on three hits while capitalizing on one SMSU error. With two outs, Hoshaw hit a single through the left side of the infield followed by another single by Nieveen. Chehola reached on an infield single but on the play, the shortstop overthrew first, which allowed Hoshaw to score and cut the lead to 3-1. After the fourth inning, both pitches had control. USF put runners on base in both the sixth and seventh but couldn't break through against  Golling.

G2 – SMSU 4 Sioux Falls 3
In game two, the Cougars opened a 3-0 lead in the first inning as Hoshaw hit her second home run of the season and 26^th of her career. However, SMSU rallied with two runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth inning to edge past USF, 4-3.  

SMSU used two pitchers in gaining the victory. Shelby Crank allowed three hits and three runs with three strikeouts in three innings. Then, Megan Cull (3-2) finished strong and held USF without a hit in four innings of shutout relief work. She had four strikeouts and one walk in throwing 43 pitches against 12 hitters.

USF starter Courtney Mathews (5-5) had a solid outing as she gave up eight hits and four runs while striking out three in a complete-game performance. She threw 83 pitches to 23 hitters in her sixth complete game of the season.

USF was led on offense by senior Kerrigan Hoshaw with her home run and two RBI. Francesca Mickelson had a run-scoring double and a run scored while senior Emily Hove also doubled and scored in USF's opening inning salvo. For SMSU, Emma Grote had two hits, two runs scored and RBI while Abbie Decker had two RBI.