DULUTH, MINN. – Despite a strong offensive performance, the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (23-28, 13-17) dropped a pair of games against Minnesota Duluth (31-18, 22-8 NSIC) in the final weekend of the regular season on Sunday (April 28). USF dropped game one, 8-6, after UMD designated hitter Jessica Bren hit a walk-off three run homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Cougars took a 10-5 loss in game two, despite Emily Miller's ninth homerun of the season.

Despite the two losses, USF maintains a hold on a playoff spot with the 10th seed in the NSIC Tournament. USF, which is 13-17 in league play, will face Minot State (15-15 conference record) in a single elimination play-in game on Thursday (May 2).

Game 1 - Minnesota Duluth 8, Sioux Falls 6
In a high-scoring game one, Jessica Bren's walk-off three-run shot in the bottom of the seventh inning gave UMD a win. Junior Sydney Nieveen received the start for USF and went five innings as she allowed four runs on 12 total hits while issuing two walks and striking out three UMD batters. Freshman Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag came in to pitch in the sixth inning and received the loss after allowing four runs (all unearned) on three total hits, walked one batter and struck out a pair of Bulldogs.

The USF offense produced 12 hits in 28 at bats for a team batting average of .429. Ashley Meyer led the team with a pair of doubles in two at bats with two RBI and one run scored. Lindsey Mossman went two for three with two runs scored while Emily Miller and Lexie Swift both had two hits and a run scored. Junior Francesca Mickelson had a double and three RBI while Emily Hove, Emmie Uitts and Van Der Zwaag each recorded a hit.

UMD jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after a three-hit first inning. UMD scored one more run in the second inning to extend their lead to, 2-0.

USF responded with one run in the top of the third after Mossman hit an infield single and Miller singled to left to set up the USF offense. A Meyer sacrifice bunt advanced both runners to second and third, which set up a Mickelson sacrifice fly to deep right field that scored Mossman from third. The USF offense then scored three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead. Hove singled to lead off the inning for the Cougars followed by a Mossman walk and a Miller bunt set the scene for a Meyer double that drove in both runners. Mickelson then followed Meyer's double with a double to right center field that plated Meyer for the third run of the inning for the Cougars.

The Bulldogs tied the game up in the bottom of the fifth inning after scoring two runs on four total hits before USF regained a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning after scoring two runs on three hits. Swift led off the inning with a double to left field and scored on Miller's two-out single to center field. Meyer doubled to left center field to score Miller.

UMD scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh with Bren hitting a walk-off three run homerun to right field.
Game 2: Duluth 10, Sioux Falls 5
Van Der Zwaag started on the bump for USF and fell to 1-6 on the season after a three-inning effort where she allowed seven runs on eight hits while issuing two walks and striking out a pair. Nieveen came in to pitch in the fourth inning and gave up three runs on five hits and struck out one batter.

The USF offense produced five runs on nine hits (31 at bats) with a team batting average of .290 in the contest. Uitts and Swift tallied a pair of hits each and both scored. Miller hit her ninth homerun of the season as she also drove in three runs.  Mossman, Hove, Meyer and Mickelson all posted one hit.

UMD jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after a pair of singles brought up Jordyn Thomas, who hit a three-run homerun to left field. Kalynn Tilton then hit a solo homerun in the next at bat. Bren extended the Bulldog lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the second when she hit a solo shot to straight away center field.

USF answered the early UMD onslaught by rallying with a run in the third inning. Hove led off with a single and, after Miller was hit by a pitch, she scored on Meyer's run-scoring single to right field. Once again, UMD responded by scoring a pair of runs on three hits to extend their lead to 7-1.

USF also had a response as they recorded a four-run fourth inning after Uitts drew a one out walk and Swift doubled to left center field which advanced Uitts to third. Hove reached on a fielding error by third base, which scored Uitts. With two outs in the inning and two runners on, Miller stepped up to the plate and slammed a three-run homer over the left field fence as USF cut the lead to 7-5.

The Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs of their own on four hits to extend their lead to 10-5.