SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (14-15, 4-4 NSIC) had its the best offensive performance in a league doubleheader in the program's DII era in a 13-3 and 14-4 sweep of Wayne State (9-16, 0-8 NSIC) on Tuesday at Sherman Park.

The Cougars hit six home runs in putting up 27 runs on 28 hits against the Wildcats. USF not only set a program mark for runs in a league doubleheader but the six home runs in the sweep was the most this year. With five home runs in game two, the Cougars recorded the most long balls in a conference game as a member of the NSIC. In addition, USF tied for the second most homers in the DII program era (5, Jamestown, N.D., Feb. 14, 2015).

With the offensive explosion USF raised its team batting average 17 points from .264 to .281. In addition, USF also had stellar outings on the mound from Kerrigan Hoshaw, who moved to 5-6, with a game one win, and Sydney Nieveen, who improved to 3-2 with the game two decision. USF won both games by the run-rule and had big production in inning three in both games. USF exploded for nine runs in game one and had six runs in game two in the third frame.

Ashley Meyer hit two of the six home runs on the day and now has four on the season and tied Emily Hove for sixth on USF's career chart with 17. Sydney Nieveen also hit a HR and had three hits in game two, helping her own cause. With her first home run of the season, she now has 12 in her career which ranks eighth all-time at USF. Lindsey Mossman also hit her first home run of the season – in game two – and has seven in her career. Freshman Kylie Madrid and junior Miranda White both hit their first home runs at USF. Madrid's home was a game-ender as her three-run bomb ended game two by the run rule at 14-4.

Leading the offense was Emily Hove, who was 5-of-8 in the doubleheader as she raised her average 27 points to .310. She also had two runs scored and three RBI on the game. Freshman outfielder Lexie Swift had three hits, and three RBI as she moved her average to a team-high .400. Nieveen is now hitting .341 after three hits in six at bas and Madrid is hitting .312 after two hits and four RBI in game two.

G1 – Sioux Falls 13 Wayne State 3 (5 innings)
In a run-rule shortened game one, USF had its third best scoring game of the season in a 13-3 win, which included 11 hits from the team and a home run from Meyer. The Cougars scored four in the first inning and then had nine in the third inning in the win.

Hove led the offense with four hits, two runs and two RBI. Francesca Mickelson had a hit, three RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base. Meyer had her home run with three runs scored as she reached on two walks. USF also had two hits and two RBI from Kerrigan Hoshaw, who was solid on the mound.

Hoshaw moved to 5-6 on the season as she threw three innings and allowed one run on four hits with a strikeout in throwing 56 pitches. Kaitlyn VanderZwaag finished for USF and threw the final two innings. She allowed three runs on two hits with a strikeout in throwing 38 pitches. WSC's Makenna Adkison (6-7) took the loss as she was replaced after giving up three hits to open the game. Maddie Moser finished and allowed 10 runs – six earned – on eight hits across four innings.

In the first inning, Swift doubled and moved to third on a single by Hove. A single by Mickelson scored both Swift and Hove as USF jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Kylan Straight grounded out to advance Mickelson and Ashley Meyer, who walked, Hoshaw delivered a two-run single for a 4-0 lead.  After WSC picked up a run in the third inning, USF answered with a solo home run from Meyer, which started the nine-run third inning. The Cougars proceeded to put the game away, adding another eight runs for a 13-1 lead heading to the fourth inning. The game ended after five innings by the run-rule with USF up 13-3.

Game 2 -- Sioux Falls 11 Wayne State 4 (six innings)
Nieveen pitched and hit the Cougars to a game two win. Nieveen hit a home run among her three hits, two runs scored, RBI and threw four innings on the mound. Nieveen, who is now 3-2 on the season, allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in throwing 76 pitches. Junior Courtney Mathews finished for USF and allowed two runs on five hits in two innings as she had a strikeout in throwing 41 pitches.

USF earned the 14-4 decision with a power game which included five home runs, including one by Nieveen. White and Madrid also hit their first career home run. Ashley Meyer hit her second of the day and Francesca Mickelson took another ball over the fence for her fourth home run of the season and eighth of her career.

After each team was held scoreless in the first inning, the Cougars broke out for three runs as Swift had a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning.

In the third inning, USF added two more runs as Meyer had her second home run of the day as her long ball brought home Mickelson, who had opened the inning with a double.  After Nieveen singled, Mossman hit a home run to left center for a 7-0 lead.  Emmie Uitts reached on an error and advanced to second on a single by Emily Cheloha with both runners advancing on a wild pitch. Sarah Keen walked to load the bases and then Kylie Madrid's RBI grounder plated Uitts. With one out Hove hit a sacrifice fly to score Cheloha as the Cougars took a 9-0 lead. After Emily Chandler of Wayne State hit a two-run home run to draw WSC within 9-2, Nieveen had the answer. She helped her own cause by slamming a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning as USF took a 10-2 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, WSC scored two runs on Abbie Hix's two-run single to cut the deficit to 10-4. Miranda White answered the Wildcats rally with a home run. Then, Madrid stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning and deposited the ball over the centerfield fence for her first career home run and the three-run bomb ended the game by run rule at 14-4.

Next for USF will be a road trip to Upper Iowa on April 6 and Winona State on April 7. USF will play NSIC doubleheaders both days at 1/3 pm.