On Wednesday, March 26, the University of Sioux Falls swept the Southwest Minnesota State University softball team in the opening doubleheader of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. Both games were played at Augustana College’s Bowden Field, as field conditions at Sherman Park in Sioux Falls were less than ideal. The Cougars defeated the Mustangs 6-1 in game one, and 4-1 in game two.

SMSU’s Rachel Hoeppner was the starting pitcher in game one. Hoeppner cruised through the first three innings without allowing any hits. However, during the fourth and fifth innings, the Cougars would pick up five runs on two errors and six hits. The Mustangs were trailing 5-1 in the fifth inning when Hoeppner left the game. In the bottom of the fifth, SMSU scored its lone run after Jazmyne Neely blasted an RBI triple, scoring Kaley Scearcy. This loss marks Hoeppner’s seventh loss of the season. The Cougars scored three runs on six hits
Alex O’Connor filled in as pitcher for Hoeppner and allowed three runs in the third inning, helping the Cougars overcome the Mustangs’ 1-0 lead after a solo home run by Chelsey Rodenkirch. This was Rodenkirch’s first home run of the season.

Hoeppner took over for O’Connor in the fourth inning. Hoeppner would allow just two hits in two innings. However, the Mustangs would finish out the rest of the game with just two hits in four innings. O’Connor took the loss for the Mustangs, giving her a 2-8 record thus far in the season.

With the loss, the Mustangs fall to an overall record of 3-15 and 0-2 in the NSIC. The Cougars improve to 14-4 and 2-0 in the NSIC.