Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SIOUX FALLS – The University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (23-24, 13-13 NSIC) dropped a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contests against Minnesota State (31-17, 16-10 NSIC) on Senior Day (April 24) at Sherman Park. USF fell 7-3 in a heartbreaking extra inning game one before losing 6-1 in game two.

With the two losses, USF maintains their hold on eighth place in the NSIC standings with a 13-13 conference record. They sit just behind Upper Iowa, who is sporting a 13-12 conference record while just maintaining a lead over University of Mary and Southwest Minnesota State at 12-14.

USF will next travel to St. Cloud State (36-14, 18-8 NSIC) and Minnesota Duluth (28-17, 18-8 NSIC) this weekend (April 26 and 28) for the regular season finale. UMD is third in the NSIC standings, while St. Cloud State is fourth.

Prior to the game with Minnesota State, USF honored seniors Emily Miller, Emily Hove and Kerrigan Hoshaw during a special Senior Day ceremony. USF also honored four MSU seniors during the pre-game event. Hove, Miller and Hoshaw were accompanied by family members in the ceremony. During their career, the three seniors have helped lead USF to 98 victories.

With three hits today, Hove took over the program's DII career lead in hits with 183. Hoshaw homered in game one which added to her total and the senior now has 27 career home runs for third all-time at USF (DII era).

Game one: Minnesota State 7, Sioux Falls 3
Senior Kerrigan Hoshaw had an outstanding start for USF, limiting Minnesota State to one unearned run through six innings. However, Hoshaw, who fell to 9-9 on the season, allowed a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs and then was replaced in the eighth inning after she ran into control problems. MSU scored four runs in the eighth inning to rally past USF.

Hoshaw threw her ninth complete game of the season as she allowed seven runs on just six total hits but walked eight batters while striking out four. After she allowed one unearned run in the first inning and then threw five scoreless innings of two-hit ball.  

The USF offense produced three runs on four total hits with two of those home runs. Senior Emily Hove led the offense as she recorded a pair of hits, including a double. Junior Sydney Nieveen had a two-run home run in the second inning to give USF a 2-1 lead. Then, Hoshaw supported her own cause with a solo blast to right center in the fourth inning for a 3-1 lead.   

With two outs in the top of the seventh inning, Kennedy Rieck drew a walk which was followed by a Julia Bastian homerun to tie the game at 3-3 and force extra innings. MSU added four more runs on three total hits in the top of the eighth inning.

Game two: Minnesota State 6, Sioux Falls 1
In the second game of the day, Nieveen took the loss for USF and fell to 5-5 on the season after pitching five full innings. She allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out a pair of Maverick batters. Freshman Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag came in as relief in the top of the sixth inning and threw two innings as she allowed the other two runs on two hits with a strikeout

The USF offense recorded seven total hits in 26 at bats for a team batting average of .269. Hoshaw led the Cougars with two hits in three plate appearances and one RBI while freshman Sarah Keen had a hit, walk and scored USF's run. Francesca Mickelson, Emily Miller, Hove and Emmie Uitts each had a base hit.

MSU scored a pair of first inning runs following two singles from McKenzie Paap and Kayla Moky, who then each stole a base to position themselves at second and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly to deep right field scored Paap and advanced Moky to third, who later scored on a receiving error by Van Der Zwaag at first as the runner ran into her forcing the ball free. MSU scored one more run in the second inning and once more in the fifth to gain a 4-0 advantage.

USF drew within 4-1 when Keen singled with one out and advanced to second on Miller's hit up the middle. She scored on Hoshaw's run-scoring single.   

MSU scored two more runs in the top of the seventh inning to extend their lead to 6-1 and put the game out of reach.