Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SIOUX FALLS—Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag hit first home run of her career while Emily Hove and Emily Miller each hit a HR of their own as the University of Sioux Falls Softball (16-19, 6-8 NSIC) split their mid-week doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul (21-13, 8-6 NSIC) at Sherman Park on Tuesday afternoon. USF took game one of the series, 5-1, behind a stellar pitching outing by Courtney Mathews before dropping game two, 10-5.

Game one: Sioux Falls 5, Concordia-St. Paul 1
Mathews, a junior from Lee's Summit, Mo., recorded her eighth complete game as she moved to 7-7 on the year with the win. Mathews pitched seven full innings allowing a single run on five hits and one walk while striking out six batters. Mathews held the opposing hitters to a .192 batting average (five hits in 26 at bats) and allowed only six baserunners.

The USF offense exploded for 14 hits in game one in 31 at bats for a team batting average of .452. Miller led the team in game one with three hits in four at bats including a two-run HR in the sixth. Miller scored one run in the ball game and also drove in a pair of RBI. Ashley Meyer went two for two with two runs scored while drawing a pair of walks in the contest. Lindsey Mossman and Francesca Mickelson both went two for four with Mossman also scoring once in the game. Freshman Lexie Swift had one single in four plate appearances and had RBI and run scored.

CSP scored first in the top of the second inning after a two-out single and stolen base by Amanda Parsons put a runner in scoring position for the Golden Bears. Makenna Giese then singled to right field and Parsons scored from second to give CSP an early 1-0 lead.

USF responded with two runs in the bottom of the second after Meyer walked to lead off the inning and Swift reached on a fielding error by the shortstop which advanced Meyer to second. Emmie Uitts laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners into scoring position and Hove knocked both Meyer and Swift in with a two-run RBI single through the right side of the infield to give USF a 2-1 lead.

The Cougars added a  run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Sydney Nieveen hit a leadoff double and Meyer followed with a single that advanced Meyer to third. After Nieveen was caught stealing in a run-down situation that allowed Meyer to reach third, Swift drove in Meyer with a single to left field. USF added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as Mossman singled up the middle and Miller hit her two-run HR to put USF on top, 5-1.

Game 2: Concordia-St. Paul 10, Sioux Falls 5
Freshman Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag received the start for the Cougars in game two and fell to 0-2 on the season after going two innings and permitting six runs on eight hits and walking two batters while striking out one. Nieveen came in to pitch in the third inning and recorded a solid relief effort as CSP scored four runs (two earned) on nine hits in five innings of work. Nieveen also struck out three batters without issuing a walk.

Hove led the USF offense by posting two hits on four plate appearances with a HR, double, two RBI and scoring once in the game. Van Der Zwaag hit her first career HR in the loss as she went one for three with two RBI and one run scored. Nieveen posted a pair of hits in four at bats including one double and scored once while driving in one RBI. Swift went two for three in the contest with a double and one run scored.

CSP jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning highlighted five hits including a three-run HR by Hanna Mortenson and an RBI double by Hannah Carlson. The Golden Bears added one more run in the top of the second inning after C Hart singled, stole second and scored on a Justine Schattner double down the right field line as CSP took a 6-0 lead.

USF cut the CSP lead in half in the bottom of the fourth inning when Miller singled to right field and scored on a Nieveen double to right center field. Meyer drew a walk which was followed by Van Der Zwaag's two-run HR as USF pulled within 6-3.

CSP added three insurance runs in the top of the sixth after three consecutive singles loaded up the bases with no outs. Schattner followed with a three-run single for a 9-3 lead. Then, CSP added a run in the top of the seventh inning for a 10-3 advantage.   

USF attempted a comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh as Swift led off with a single up the middle followed by Hove's seventh HR of the season to bring the CSP lead to, 10-5. Mossman then singled through the left side of the infield and Miller drew a one out walk to advance Mossman to second. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position but a fly out and a lineout ended the inning.

USF will next face Minnesota State Moorhead (11-18, 5-7 NSIC) on Saturday, April 13 in a NSIC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The games are currently scheduled to be played at Sherman Park, but with inclement weather being forecasted a change in venue is possible.