SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (10-13, 0-2 NSIC) will open up their home schedule with a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheaders against Bemidji State (19-7, 2-0 NSIC) on Saturday, March 30 and Minnesota Crookston (11-15, 0-2 NSIC) on Sunday, March 31. The two games against BSU will begin at 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., while the games against UMC will be at 12 p.m., and 2 p.m.

Follow all the action
To follow USF, fans are encouraged to check out the Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts for all 17 USF Athletics accounts at usfcougars.com/socialmedia. Live stats for all USF Softball home games are available at usfcougars.com/livestats and links to live stats for all NSIC games are on the USF Softball schedule.  Weather permitting, all USF Softball home games will be streamed for free through Stretch Internet at usfcougars.com/watch and links to away games are on the USF Softball schedule.

Cougars looking to rebound after losing twice on the road in league play
Directed by first-year head coach Shannon Pivovar, the Cougars will look to rebound after an 0-2 league start on the road. USF face a BSU team which has opened 19-7 and 2-0 in league play and Minnesota Crookston at 11-15 and 0-2 in the league.
USF will look to end a six-game losing streak as they host a pair of NSIC doubleheaders against BSU and UMC this weekend. USF dropped a pair of tight contests in their last doubleheader against SMSU on March 26 in Marshall, Minn. USF lost, 3-1, in the first game despite a solid pitching outing by senior Kerrigan Hoshaw. In game two, Hoshaw hit her 26^th career HR as the USF offense exploded for three runs in the first inning but ended up falling, 4-3, with SMSU scoring a pair of late game runs.


Series Histories:
           vs. Minnesota Crookston – USF leads 11-2
After winning the first seven games against Minnesota Crookston, USF Softball has split two doubleheaders against the Golden Eagles in 2016 and 2017 then swept UMC in last season's doubleheader to clinch a spot in the NSIC tournament. The Cougars averaged more than eight runs per game in the first seven meetings and held UMC to 15 runs in their seven-game winning streak, including a pair of shutout victories (6-0 and 8-0) in their 2015 doubleheader sweep. The Cougars dropped their first game against UMC in 2016, 9-4, before rebounding to win game two, 10-6, in the first series hosted by UMC since USF joined the NSIC. In 2017, the Cougars rolled to a 9-0 game-one victory behind Kerrigan Hoshaw and Breanna Black's combined three-hit pitching performance. However, USF's bat struggled in game two as they managed just six hits in a 5-2 loss. In last season's doubleheader sweep, USF allowed just one run in two games as the Cougars cruised to a 9-1 win in game one and a 5-0 win in game two. The Cougars are 8-1 at home against Minnesota Crookston and 10-2 against the Golden Eagles in NSIC regular season games.
           vs. Bemidji State – USF leads 10-1
USF rode an eight-game winning streak against Bemidji State into the third round of the NSIC Tournament last season but dropped their first game against the Beavers in a defensive struggle. USF was held to four hits in the 3-1 loss, which ended their 2017 season, despite sweeping the season series. USF swept the first doubleheader with a pair of one-run victories in 2013 then swept the 2014 doubleheader by a combined 19-0 margin. In 2015, USF stayed unbeaten with 3-2 and 8-7 victories and the 2016 series was canceled due to weather. In 2017, Hoshaw threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout in USF's 3-0 victory, then the Cougars hit five doubles and Breanna Black worked three shutout innings in relief to earn the win by a 6-4 margin. In last season's doubleheader sweep, USF reached 30 wins for the fifth straight season as Hoshaw worked a complete game 4-2 game one win then hit a homerun in game two to lead the Cougars to a 6-2 victory for the sweep. USF is 8-0 against BSU at home 10-0 against the Beavers in NSIC regular season games but dropped the only nonconference/postseason matchup last year.

Freshman outfielder Lexie Swift opens season with big start
Freshman Lexie Swift has been a force at the plate during her freshman campaign as she has posted a team leading .662 slugging percentage with five doubles, two triples and two homeruns in 65 at bats. Swift is also hitting a team-high .431 at the plate with 28 hits in 65 at bats, while driving in eight RBI. Swift has drawn 14 walks and holds a .543 on-base percentage while scoring a team-high 17 runs on the year.

Hove, Mickelson and Nieveen provide veteran presence
Senior Emily Hove has enjoyed a strong first half of the schedule by registering a .623 slugging percentage with five doubles, one triple and team-highs in home runs with six and RBI with 19. Hove is posting a .299 batting average with 23 hits in 77 at bats, while also sporting a .309 on base percentage and recording 13 runs scored. Following her standout performance during the Florida spring break trip Hove was awarded the NSIC Softball Player of the Week honors on March 18 for the first time in her career. Hove has moved to sixth on USF's DII all-time list with 17 home runs and ranks fourth at USF all-time (DII era) with 86 RBIs.

Junior outfielder Francesca Mickelson, who has started in all 23 contests this season, is hitting .233 with 15 hits in 63 at bats. She has recorded eight runs and eight RBI with a .397 slugging percentage after hitting two homeruns paired with four doubles on the season. All-league infielder Sydney Nieveen is hitting .288 with eight RBI through 23 games. Nieveen has scored 13 runs with an on-base percentage of .373 on the year. Emmie Uitts has hit the first two home runs of her career and added six RBI with a .362 slugging percentage.

Mathews and Hoshaw anchor Cougar pitching staff
Courtney Mathews, a junior right hander from Lee's Summit, MO., who was named the NSIC Pitcher of the Week in an announcement by the league on Feb. 5, has been the ace in the rotation for USF so far this season. Mathews has a 5-5 record in 14 appearances and 10 starts with six complete games and one shutout in 63.2 innings pitched. Mathews has posted a 2.53 era and has held opponents to a .289 batting average. On the season, Mathews has given up 72 total hits and recorded 42 strikeouts while walking just 11 batters.

Senior Kerrigan Hoshaw has had a solid start to the season on the mound posting a 3-5 record in 12 appearances and eight starts. She holds a 4.25 era and has held opponents to a .291 batting average. She has pitched 52.2 innings and has recorded three complete game efforts. Hoshaw has struck out 40 batters while allowing 27 walks on the season. In USF's DII era, Hoshaw ranks first all-time with nine shutouts and 351 strikeouts. She is second at USF in wins (43), appearances (103), starts (88), innings pitched (496.1) and third in complete games (36). Hoshaw recently hit her 26^th career home run, which ranks third all-time in USF's DII era.

Preseason Forecast - USF picked 8th in NSIC Poll
The Cougars, which have had 30 or more wins five straight years, were picked eighth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll which was released Jan. 23 by the league office. USF received 135 points and finished just behind Concordia-St. Paul, which earned 140 points for seventh. The 2019 NSIC Softball Tournament will consist of the top ten teams in the NSIC final standings competing in a double elimination format on May 2-4 at the RYFSA Complex in Rochester, Minnesota. USF's players to watch included pitcher Kerrigan Hoshaw and infielder Sydney Nieveen.