St. Cloud, MN – The University of Sioux Falls softball finished the final day at the Kelly Laas Memorial Tournament picking up their first win of the season and dropping their final game at the Husky Dome on Saturday night. The Cougars won their first game of the day vs Bemidji State, 5-1, and a loss to SCSU, 7-5.
Game One: USF 5, Bemidji State 1
Freshman Bailee Lampman started for the Cougars, surrendering one run, on three hits, and one strikeout in the 5-1 victory over Bemidji State.
The game was tied 0-0 through two innings when in the 3rd, Kylan Straight stole 2nd base, followed by a Lexie Swift single to right, scoring Kylan Straight for the first run of the game. In the 4th inning and Cougars threatening, Rylie Jones reached on a fielders choice on a throwing error, scoring Damaris Cuevas to put USF up 2-0.
It was in the bottom of the 5th when the Cougars broke the game open with a walk by Jayden Haley with bases loaded, scoring Kylie Madrid, followed by singles by Hanna Cress and Rylie Jones, scoring Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag and Damaris Cuevas to make it a 5-0 score. The Beavers tacked on their only run of the game in the 7th inning, with a final score of 5-1 and the Cougars first victory on the season.
Rylie Jones was 2 for 4 with an RBI and picked up her first stolen base of the season. Lexie Swift, Jayden Haley, and Hanna Cress picked up an RBI each for the Cougars in the 5-1 victory. From the circle, Hanna Cress picked up the first win on the season for USF, finishing the game with 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 hits, and 4 K’s.
Game Two: USF 5, SCSU 7
In an early season test against a familiar NSIC opponent, the Cougars fell to SCSU by a score of 7-5.
USF struck early in the top of the 1st inning when Jayden Haley reached on an error by the SCSU 2nd basemen, scoring Kylan Straight for the first run of the game. SCSU answered in the 2nd with a sacrifice fly to tie the game back up at 1-1. It was in the 3rd when SCSU’s VandenLangen doubled to right center field, followed by a ground out by Winberger, scoring VandenLangen to make the game 4-1 SCSU.
USF came charging back in the top of 5 when Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag battled at the plate and sent a 3 run blast to right center field to tie the game back up at four a piece. SCSU answered back in the bottom of the inning scoring two runs on a single up the middle and a bunt with bases loaded to take a 6-4 lead. It was later in the 6th, we saw Rylie Jones pick up a sacrifice fly, scoring Reese Holzhueter to cut the score for USF in half, 6-5. SCSU came up with an insurance run, a home run to RF in the bottom of the 6th from Pinkowski to put SCSU up and holding USF in the top of the 7th for a final score of 7-5.
Reese Holzhueter was 2 for 3 on the day with a run scored, Kait Van Der Zwaag went 1-2 with a 3-run HR, HBP, and 3 RBI on the day. USF drew 5 walks and speedster Kylan Straight came away with another SB on the day, her 2nd on the season. Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag pitched 4 innings, surrendering 2 ER, 3 hits, and 3 K’s. Hanna Cress took the loss with 2 innings pitched on 2 ER, 4 hits, and 3 K’s.
Up Next
The Cougars are off until February 25th when they head to Topeka, KS for six games over three days for the Washburn Invitational where they’ll face Pitt State, Central Missouri, Newman, Washburn, Fort Hays State, and Emporia State.
