Sioux Falls, SD – The University of Sioux Falls softball team came away with the sweep in Sunday's doubleheader at Sherman Park with a Game 1, 6-5 victory and Game 2, victory 8-0.

Senior Day:
"I am so proud of the work this team has put in throughout the whole season. They are led by an amazing senior in Kylan and wanted today to be special for her - that is what this whole journey is about. Kylan has motivated this group, cheered on this team, pushed from the back and been out in front for them to follow for the last four years. She is going to be exceptional in her next steps in life - I'm so happy this group was able to celebrate two wins for her today. The adversity and bumps in the road we have faced this year have been numerous but we have stuck through all of it together. This is as special of a group as they come and I'm excited for more softball with them, said Head Coach Shannon Pivovar.
 
Game 1: BSU 5, USF 6
 
The Cougars came away with a thrilling walk-off victory by a score of 6-5 in Game 1 on Saturday. 
 
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 2^nd inning when Lexie Swift doubled to left field, followed by a single by Rylie Jones to set up Rylie Jones for a sacrifice fly to bring across the first run of the game for the Cougars. USF tacked on another run in the 3^rd inning when Emma Barta reached by single, followed by Kait Van Der Zwaag knocking Barta in on an RBI single to left field to make it a 2-0 score. The Beavers answered back in the top half of the next inning to make it a 2-1 ball game.
 
The Cougars bats stayed hot as Rylie Jones started the bottom of the 4^th inning with a single, followed by back to back RBI singles by Kylie Madrid and Taryn Wagner to extend the USF lead by a score of 4-1. The Cougars manufactured another run on a groundout by Kylan Straight, scoring Kylie Madrid to make it 5-1 for the Cougars. The Beavers answered back with one run in the sixth inning, followed by three more runs in the top of the 7^th to tie the ball game at 5-5 as we headed to the bottom half of the 7^th inning.
 
Freshman Reese Holzhueter started off with a double to left field and Jayden Haley laid down a bunt, reaching by error to put runners on the corners. Lexie Swift drew a walk to load the bases and in walk-off fashion, Rylie Jones hit an RBI sacrifice fly, scoring Reese Holzhueter for the 6-5 victory for the Cougars!
 
The Cougars finished with eleven hits on the day led by Emma Barta with three, Lexie Swift and Rylie Jones with two hits each, and Kait Van Der Zwaag, Reese Holzhueter, Kylie Madrid, and freshman Taryn Wagner each with one hit apiece.
 
From the circle, Hanna Cress threw 6 1/3 innings, surrendering ten hits, four earned runs, two walks, and striking out five Bemidji State hitters. Bailee Lampman picked up the victory, pitching 2/3 of an inning, surrendering one hit and one earned run on the day.
 
Game 2: BSU 0, USF 8
 
USF picked up a win in Game 2 of the doubleheader by a score of 4-0 on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Cougars enjoyed the first inning as Emma Barta started the game reaching by error, followed by a single by Kylan Straight to put runners on the corners. Senior Kylan Straight stole 2^nd base and the following at bat Kait Van Der Zwaag hit a three-run home run to put the Cougars up 3-0 after the first inning.
 
As the game remained 3-0 going into the bottom of the 5^th inning, Kait Van Der Zwaag crushed another home run to put the Cougars up 4-0. As the Cougars entered the bottom of the 6^th inning, Kylie Madrid kicked off the inning with a single, followed by singles from Megan Lawson and Kylan Straight to load the bases. Kait Van Der Zwaag drew a walk, bringing across the 5^th run of the ball game for USF. Kennedy Thomas came up to the plate smashing a three-run RBI double, scoring pinch runner Jayden Haley, Kylan Straight, and Megan Lawson to end the ball game by a score of 8-0 for the Cougars.
 
 
The Cougars finished with thirteen hits on the day led by Kait Van Der Zwaag with two hits, both of which were home runs and bringing across four RBI on the day. Kylan Straight, Reese Holzhueter, and Kennedy Thomas each had two base hits each and Lexie Swift, Emma Barta, Megan Lawson, Damaris Cuevas, and Kylie Madrid each had a base hit each in Game 2.
 
From the circle, Kait Van Der Zwaag picked up the victory in a complete game shutout throwing all six innings, surrendering four hits, zero runs, one walk, and striking out five Beavers hitters on the day.
 
Up Next

The Cougars are back in action on Monday where they'll face Minnesota-Crookston in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. & Game 2 at 1 p.m.. Follow USF Softball social media for updates throughout the week.