SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (USF) – The Cougar softball team picked up a series split against the Beavers of Minot State today. For the first time this season, Sioux Falls took the field in front of their home crowd on Senior Day at the Sanford Diamonds located on the campus of the Sanford Sports Complex.   

GAME 1 – W, 10-2 

Sioux Falls jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first when Kylie Madrid scored Lexie Swift on an RBI triple and Kennedy Thomas scored Madrid on a two-run homer to deep right field.  

The Cougars continued to keep the bats hot as they added another three runs in the bottom of the second. Rylie Jones scored Damaris Cuevas on a single to left field while Kait Van Der Zwaag hit a 2-RBI single to score Jayden Haley and Jones. 

Minot State added two of their own in the top of the third, but USF quickly shut the door when Thomas hit her second homerun of the game to put the Coo up 7-2. Reese Holzhueter brought in a RBI double to score Megan Lawson and finished the third 8-2. 

Madrid joined the homerun game when she send one beyond 220 feet to put the Cougars up 10-2 as they headed to the fifth. 

Van Der Zwaag picked up her 11th win of the season in game one while facing 21 batters and forcing one strikeout and giving up just two runs. 

GAME 2 – L, 11-10 

The Cougars once again jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when Van Der Zwaag sent a three-run shot over left field in the bottom of the first. 

Minot State added a homerun themselves to end the second with a score of 3-1. 

Thomas continued to keep the bat hot when she drove in a RBI double in the third followed by another RBI double by Lawson to put the Coo up 5-1. Cuevas brought in two runs of her own when she reached on an error by the left field while scoring both Haley and Lawson to finish the third 7-1. 

The Beavers once again added a run of their own in the fifth to come within five as they finished the fifth. 

Makenzie Weber got on base to start the sixth before stealing second and advancing to third on a passed balled just before Kelsey Pauli brought her in with a single to center field. 

Headed into the top of the seventh up 8-2, Sioux Falls gave up nine runs in the top of the seventh as trailed for the first time all day. 

Haley hit her first career homerun to bring the Coo within one, but the game fell in favor of the Beavers. 

Hanna Cress started on the mound for the Cougars forcing three strikeouts while facing 30 batters in 6.1 innings. Van Der Zwaag came in on relief to end the seventh. 

UP NEXT 

The Cougars will be back in action tomorrow as they host the University of Mary in another NSIC doubleheader. The two teams will face off at 11am and 1pm at the Sanford Diamonds.