Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FAYETTE, IOWA – Emmie Uitts and Ashley Meyer each hit homeruns as the University of Sioux Falls Softball (15-16, 5-5 NSIC) split a doubleheader with Upper Iowa (12-13, 4-6 NSIC) on Friday afternoon. Uitts and Meyer propelled USF to a 3-2 game one win before the Cougars fell in game two, 8-5.

After her solo homerun in the first game of the doubleheader, Ashley Meyer moved into a tie with Danielle Walker (2015-16) for fifth in program history with 18 career homeruns. Uitts now has three homeruns in her sophomore campaign.

Game one: Sioux Falls 3, Upper Iowa 2
Kerrigan Hoshaw, a senior from Apple Valley, Minn., pitched a complete game two run effort to propel USF to a 3-2 win in the first game against the Peacocks. With the win, Hoshaw now is 6-6 on the season and has pitched eight complete games including one perfect game on March 30 against Bemidji State. Hoshaw went seven innings and allowed three runs on four hits ithewhile striking out a pair of UIU batters.

The USF offense scored three runs on four hits in 23 at-bats while only striking out twice in the contest. Uitts led the Cougars with two hits in two plate appearances including a homerun in the third inning. Meyer hit a solo HR in the fifth inning as she finished the game with one hit in three at-bats. Freshman Lexie Swift recorded the other USF hit with a double to lead off the sixth inning.

USF scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning when Uitts hit a solo HR over the left field fence to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. USF showed their power again in the fifth inning when Meyer led off the inning with a solo shot to right field. Sydney Nieveen and Emily Miller both were hit by pitches and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Uitts. Lindsey Mossman drove in Nieveen with a deep sacrifice fly to left field as USF took a 3-0 lead.

Upper Iowa attempted a late game comeback in the bottom of the seventh as they scored two runs on two hits and drew one walk in the inning. With one out, Julia Buffington drew a walk and Michaela Schumacher hit a single to left field to get the Peacock offense going. Both runners advanced on an Ali Green groundout to first and were driven in after Erin Dohozal laced a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw as UIU brought the USF lead to, 3-2.Nieveen ended the Peacock comeback as she snagged a line drive down the first base line.

Game two: Upper Iowa 8, Sioux Falls 5
Junior Courtney Mathews fell to 6-7 on the season after taking the game two loss for USF. Mathews  threw two innings and gave up five runs, four of which were earned, on six hits while facing 12 batters. Freshman Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag came in to pitch in the third and went four innings as she allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits after facing 17 batters and striking out one Peacock in her outing.

The USF offense tallied five runs on six hits in 25 at-bats during the game. Francesca Mickelson scored twice in the contest while going one for three at the plate. Nieveen, who was hit by two pitches during the game, capitalized in her lone at-bat hitting a double that scored two runs. Sarah Keen went one for two with one run scored and two walks, and Emily Hove hit one double in her three plate appearances while scoring once.

UIU scored first in the bottom of the second inning when Schumacher singled down the right field line scoring Brennan and Frenette. The Peacocks added four runs in the bottom of the third on three hits and one USF error to extend their lead to, 6-0. UIU hit three homers in the inning as Katie Crogan hit a two-run HR to left, followed with a Buffington HR to right center for back to back bombs, and Drahozal homered to center later in the inning.

USF scored twice in the top of the fourth after Mickelson led off the inning with a single up the middle. Nieveen was then hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Mickelson scored on a sacrifice fly by Emily Miller and Nieveen would later score as Uitts reached on an error by third base. The Cougars added two more runs in the top of the fifth on a pair of hits by Swift and Meyer to bring the UIU lead to, 6-4.

UIU extended their lead to 8-4 after Drahozal hit a two run single down the left field line which scored both Schumacher and Buffington.

In the top of the seventh inning, Sarah Keen walked to lead off the inning then advan[1]ced to second on a Swift groundout to third. Mickelson walked followed by Meyer reaching on a fielder's choice where Mickelson advanced to second, but Keen was out at third. Nieveen then hit a double to left field, which scored Mickelson and advanced Meyer to third and brought the game to, 8-6.

USF will next travel to Winona, Minn., to face Winona State (25-5, 10-0 NSIC) tomorrow (April 6) in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.