WARRENSBURG, MO. – Kylie Madrid hit a three-run home run and the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (4-6) scored a season-high in runs during a 7-6 victory in game two as the Cougars split a doubleheader against Central Missouri (9-3) on Friday. After USF lost the opener, 6-1, the Cougars bounced back and overcame an early 2-0 deficit to earn the split.

USF Head Coach Shannon Pivovar was pleased with the way her team competed during the two games in which USF ended a three-game losing streak and snapped Central Missouri's five game winning skein.

"I am really proud of the way our kids competed all day today but especially our growth in the second game," said Pivovar, whose team will now go to Emporia, Kan., for two games on both Saturday and Sunday against Central Oklahoma (noon both days) and Emporia State (4 pm both days). "We made adjustments throughout our lineup at the plate and learned from what worked and what didn't. Our pitchers remained composed in the circle against a very solid Central Missouri lineup. We got better today and I am excited to compete the rest of the weekend," Pivovar said.

G 1 – Central Missouri 6 USF 1
In game one, Central Missouri jumped to 6-0 lead after five innings and earned a win the opener as Gentry Wishard threw a three-hitter.

Wishard improved to 3-0 on the season by throwing a complete game. She had five strikeouts and did not walk a hitter in throwing 101 pitches. Hanna Cress took the loss for USF as she allowed five hits and four earned runs in three innings. With 56 pitches to 14 batters, Cress had two strikeouts. Shayla Shaver finished for USF and she allowed six hits and two runs while recording a strikeout in throwing 50 pitches. Interestingly, neither team earned a walk.

In the first inning, Bailey Fowler hit a home run to left field to give UCM a 1-0 lead. Then with two outs, Fowler hit a two-run home run in the third inning as UCM took a 3-0 lead. After Makenzie McAtee also had a home run, Taylor Nickel had a run-scoring bunt single for a 5-0 lead. After trailing 6-0, the Cougars picked up their run as senior Rachel Klassen hit a run-scoring triple to plate Kylan Straight, who had reached on a fielder's choice.  

G 2 – USF 7 Central Missouri 6
In game two, USF utilized the bats of junior Kylie Madrid, sophomore Peyton Senger and freshman Damaris Cuevas along with a strong relief outing from Hanna Cress to earn a 7-6 win and a split of the doubleheader.

Madrid hit her second career home run, a three-run shot in the second inning. In her second start of the season, Peyton Senger had a two-run single and scored a run in a solid offensive outing. Damaris Cuevas had two hits in three at bats as she pushed her season average to a team-best .545 and now has a .583 OBP after eight games played. USF also had a hit and two runs scored from Cassie Van Beek and a hit and run scored by Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag.

Cress (3-3), who had a pitching decision in each game, earned the victory with three solid innings in relief of Van Der Zwaag, who allowed five runs and eight hits across four innings with three strikeouts. After entering the game in the fifth inning, Cress allowed just a single run on three hits with three strikeouts in throwing 47 pitches.

UCM was led by Makenzie Cooper with three hits and four RBI. Kyleigh Lay (1-1) took the loss for UCM, who started Paige Petefish, who allowed five runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Lay gave up two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. Sadie Park also pitched for UCM and provided one inning of scoreless relief.

After UCM scored two runs in the first inning, USF rallied with five runs in the second inning. The key hits in the second inning came from Senger who had a two-run single and Madrid, who hammered her second career home run to give USF a 5-2 lead. After UCM tied the game at 5-5, USF took the lead on a run-scoring hit by Cuevas in the fifth innings. After the Jennies tied the game, USF had the eventual game-winning run when Madrid reached on an error Kylan Straight singled and both runs moved up on a sac bunt by Rachel Klassen. Then, Madrid came home on a wild pitch.