ABERDEEN, SD – With the power of Mika Rodriguez and a career RBI game from Damaris Cuevas plus contributions across the roster, the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team (13-15, 7-7 NSIC) rolled to a 14-2 game two victory and a split of a doubleheader with Northern State (19-9, 10-4 NSIC) on Saturday in Aberdeen. With the game two win, the Cougars halted NSU's seven-game winning streak.  

After dropping a 7-2 decision in game one, the Cougars exploded for a 14-2 win in game two with a season-high in runs scored and hits. USF also had a season-best 10 runs in a single inning in the fifth inning. 

In the circle, Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag figured in the decisions in both games today and improved to 7-7 overall. She worked 8.1 innings and had seven strikeouts. In the game two win, Mika Rodriguez had season-bests for a game in hits with three, RBI with three and runs scored also with three. She hit her third home run of the season and 16th of her career. Also in game two, Damaris Cuevas, who is now hitting .465 (fourth in the NSIC) had a career-best four-RBI game. 

Overall today, USF hit .400 with 24 hits, 16 runs, three doubles, a home run and 30 total bats. As a team, USF had a .500 slugging mark and .439 OBP. 

"This was a long week of practice after a disappointing end to last weekend - and we really worked on building who we are together," said USF Head Softball Coach Shannon Pivovar, whose team is now 7-7 in league play. "While we split again today, the game two win is a huge credit to our entire team. Yet again, Kait (Van Der Zwaag) stepped up in the circle to just get it done. She competed her tail off and Damaris (Cuevas) worked hard behind the dish to get some strikes called for our team. Hats off to Cassie (Van Beek) and Mika (Rodriguez) who also had great days defensively for us to keep the game tight," added Pivovar, whose team faces MSU Moorhead in an NSIC doubleheader at noon and 2 pm on Sunday in Moorhead, Minn.

"We have been so timid at the plate and finally today we were able to really dial in and find our groove and string things together. Mika (Rodriguez) had herself a day at the plate to lead the charge with Frankie (Mickelson) and Cass (Van Beek) both seeing the ball big and being tough outs. It was nice to see Kylan (Straight) and Rachel (Klassen) working all week to find new ways to get on base and then put into play today. And, how clutch was Peyton (Senger) driving in a pair of runs to the opposite field (in game two)? I am so proud of all of our kids for the work they put in, for trusting the process, and for sticking with it. Tomorrow is another day that we get to keep discovering who we are and where we can go when we go together," added Pivovar. 

Game 1 – Northern St. 7 Sioux Falls 2

In the opener, Northern State broke from a 2-2 tie with a five-run fourth inning to take a 7-2 decision over USF.

Meghan Anderson threw a complete game for NSU as she allowed eight hits and two runs with 11 strikeouts in seven innings. Ashley Fauske had three hits and Rachel Reinke had two hits and two RBI to lead NSU.

After USF trailed, 2-0 after three innings, the Cougars forged a tie with two runs in the fourth inning on a run-scoring single by Shayla Running and an RBI groundout from Kylan Straight.

Straight and Mika Rodriguez both had two hits to lead USF's eight-hit attack. Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag took the loss after allowing seven earned runs and nine hits across 3 1/3 innings. Kennedy Thomas finished for USF with 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Thomas, who dropped her season earned run average to 1.17 in three appearances, had two strikeouts, two walks and allowed three hits in throwing 36 pitches.

Game 2 -- Sioux Falls 14 Northern State 2 (5 innings)

In game two, the Cougars received sterling efforts from Mika Rodriguez and Damaris Cuevas on offense and Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag in the circle. 

Van Der Zwaag (7-7) allowed just two runs and three hits across five innings while registering six strikeouts in throwing 60 pitches for her seventh win of the season. On offense, Rodriguez was again the leader as she had a season-best three hits, three RBI and three runs scored. As a result, the senior shortstop finished the doubleheader 5-of-7 for a .714 average with four runs and three RBI as well as a 1.286 slugging mark. In game two, he hit her third home run of the season and 16 of her career. Eleven different USF players recorded hits in game two with four of them recording two or more.

Cuevas was 1-of-2 with her career-best four RBI. Kylan Straight was 2-of-4 with a run scored and a stolen base while Kennedy Thomas was 2-of-3 with a run scored.  Peyton Senger had a hit and run scored with two RBI. Cassie Van Beek had a hit, two runs scored and two RBI. Frankie Mickelson had two hits and an RBI and now stands sixth all-time in RBI with 71. Those two hits pushed her to 142 for her career and just two from a tie for fifth all-time (Kerrigan Hoshaw, 2016-19, 144).  

After Van Der Zwaag and Elyse Cuttic (9-4), who suffered the loss for NSU, exchanged scoreless innings through three innings, the Cougars broke through for four runs in the fourth frame. Thomas and Rodriguez singled to open the inning and Van Der Zwaag loaded the bases with a walk. Van Beek's single scored Rodriguez and Thomas for a 2-0 lead. Cuevas hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Van Der Zwaag and with a double by Mickelson, Van Beek scored for a 4-0 advantage.

NSU answered with a run in the home half of the fourth inning. But then USF put the game away with its best inning this season and in recent memory. With one out, Rodriguez singled and advanced when Van Der Zwaag had a single. After an error on a ground ball by Van Beek, Cuevas doubled to center for a three-run, bases-clearing hit.

Up 7-1, USF was just getting started. Running singled to bring home Cuevas for an 8-1 lead. After a pitching change, Mickelson singled to center field which was followed by an infield single by Straight. When pinch hitter Megan Lawson walked, Running scored. Then, Senger came up big with a two-run single to the opposite field as USF took an 11-1 lead. After that Rodriguez, hitting for the second time in the inning, hit her home run to center field and USF had a 14-1 lead and the issue was decided. NSU picked up a run in the home half of the fifth inning but the game ended by run rule.