SIOUX FALLS – In an attempt to escape the extreme cold and snowy weather, the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (5-4) will travel to Florida to compete in the Clermont Florida games from March 11-16.
 
Week's Schedule
Monday, March 11 vs. Truman State (3-0) at 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12 vs. Northwood (1-3) at 10:45 a.m.
Tuesday, March 12 vs. Rockhurst (7-4) at 1 p.m.
Thursday, March 14 vs. Charleston (W.V.) (3-2) at 11 a.m.
Thursday, March 14 vs. Merrimack (4-1) at 1:15 p.m.
Friday, March 15 vs. Holy Family (0-0) at 8:30 a.m.
Friday, March 15 vs. Lock Haven (2-4) at 1 p.m.
Saturday, March 16 vs. Pittsburgh-Johnson (0-0) at 10:15 a.m.
Saturday, March 16 vs. New York Institute of Technology (0-0) at 12:45 p.m.
 
Series History vs opponents  --
                vs. NYIT, USF leads NYIT, 3-1
In their first two games between these two programs in 2012, USF won both in dramatic fashion. In the first game, USF won 9-0 with an offensive explosion of 17 hits. The Cougars turned around and won, 4-2, after a walk-off two run double to the right-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning. USF suffered their lone loss of the series in 2013 when they fell, 4-0. The most recent game between these two teams came in 2015 with USF winning, 9-2.
 
                vs. Truman State, Truman leads USF, 2-0
USF has faced Truman State twice in program history with Truman holding a, 2-0 series lead. USF fell to Truman State, 8-0 in their first matchup in 2013.  In their last game in 2017, USF dropped an 11-10 heart beaker after USF stormed back from a 9-3 deficit with a seven-run top of the fifth inning. Truman State then scored a pair of unanswered runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the game.
 
                vs. Merrimack College, USF leads Merrimack, 1-0
In their single contest in the 2014 season, USF scored seven runs in the span of four innings and took an, 8-0 victory. Amanda Walters led the Cougars on the mound as she recorded eight strikeouts and no earned runs in a complete game shut out.
 
                vs. Northwood, USF leads Northwood, 1-0
USF took the only matchup with Northwood in program history during the 2018 campaign, 9-5. Lindsey Mossman, Jasmine Ragusi, Emily Hove and Kerrigan Hoshaw each recorded homeruns in the win.
 
USF has never faced the other opponents in their DII program history.
 
Last time out
In their last outing, USF dropped a pair of nonconference games to Missouri Southern State (5-4) as part of a doubleheader on Feb. 25. The Cougars lost the first game 4-1, and fell, 6-4, in game two.
 
Off to a Swift start
Through nine games, USF is hitting .277 with 43 runs on 67 hits, two home runs and 39 RBI. USF has a .360 OBP, and .376 slugging mark. USF has also drawn 25 total walks as a team.
 
Freshman outfielder Lexie Swift has had a strong start as the leadoff batter for USF. She has a .519 batting average with 14 hits in 27 at bats and eight runs scored. Swift has a .778 slugging mark and a .606 OBP with a stolen base. In their most recent match ups against Missouri Southern State, she had six hits in seven at bats. Swift registered four singles, two doubles, two runs scored and had a walk.
 
Mickelson, Chehola, Hove lead experienced team
Junior outfielder Frankie Mickelson, who has started in all nine contests this season, is hitting .333 with eight hits in 24 at bats. She has recorded four runs and three RBI with a .458 slugging percentage. Junior infielder Emily Chehola is hitting .273 with three RBIs. Senior infielder Emily Hove is hitting .207, has a tie for the team-best seven RBIs with Lindsey Mossman and has one of two USF home runs. Emmie Uitts also has the other Cougar HR as she has five RBI on the year with a .333 slugging percentage. All-league junior infielder Sydney Nieveen is hitting .321 through the nine games. She has scored six runs with nine hits and four RBI in 28 plate appearances.
 
Matthews finds success early
After recording three wins in her first four games of the season, Courtney Mathews, a junior righthander, was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Pitcher of the Week in an announcement by the league on Feb. 5. Mathews became the first USF Softball player to earn the NSIC weekly honor this year and third to receive the pitcher of the week distinction in school history. Overall, USF has had five players earned player of the week honors in the NSIC. They include position players Lindsey Mossman and Brooke Stetzler, who earned players of the week honors in 2017 and 2016, while Alyson Netty and Amanda Walters were NSIC pitchers of the week in 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
Mathews, a junior nursing major from Lee's Summit, Mo., had a standout performance in USF's 2019 season opening weekend as she went 3-0 while throwing two complete games. In a 2-1 eight inning (extra innings) win over Metro State on Saturday, Feb. 2. Mathews allowed eight hits but just one earned run with six strikeouts in going the distance. She also tossed a complete game in a 7-2 win over Colorado-Colorado Springs. Against UCCS, she allowed six hits with two earned runs and six strikeouts over seven innings.
 
In six appearances this season, including four starts, Mathews is 3-2 and has compiled a 2.94 earned run average, a 1.35 WHIP, and held opponents to a .280 batting average. She has allowed 35 hits and 13 earned runs with 20 strikeouts across 31.0 innings.
 
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.