SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Concordia-St. Paul softball team (16-33, 10-16 NSIC) dropped both games to Sioux Falls (28-18, 14-12 NSIC) on Wednesday afternoon. The Golden Bears fell to the Cougars 9-2 in game one and 14-6 in five innings in game two.
 
GAME ONE: Sioux Falls 9, Concordia-St. Paul 2
The Cougars erased an early deficit as they scored the final nine runs of the game to pull away from CU and claim a win in game one.

The Golden Bears struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first as they benefited from two USF errors that allowed runs to score. Teona Zepeda opened up the inning with some small ball as she bunted for a single, moved up to second on a ground out and stole third before coming home on a fielding error to the shortstop off the bat of Haley Schanks two batters later. After Liz Jarosz singled to load the bases, Lizzy Swenson reached on another error in the infield which allowed Jamie Fleischhacker, who reach via a walk, to score and give CU an early 2-0 lead.
 
The lead lasted just two batters into the Cougars' half of the first as Erin Scott singled and Shannon Daly tied the team lead with her 12^th homer of the year to even it at two. Alyson Netty added a two-run homer of her own, her eighth of the season, later in the inning to put Sioux Falls on top 4-2.
 
The Cougars used some savvy base running in the second inning as they capitalized on a double steal with runners on the corners which brought Scott across the plate to extend the lead to 5-2.
 
Sioux Falls continued to add to their advantage in the fourth as they put three more runs on the board. The inning did not get off to a good start for the Golden Bears as Scott reached on a CU error before stealing, advancing on a wild pitch and scoring on a sacrifice fly. Leah Husemoen chipped in an RBI single and Netty later scored on another double steal to bring the score to 8-2.
 
USF added single run in the fifth as Scott continued her big game in the fifth as she delivered a run-scoring double but that would be all for the scoring for either side.
 
Stephanie Kappes took the loss for the Golden Bears as she allowed five earned runs and struck out one in the complete game effort.
 
After allowing a pair of runs (one earned) in the first, Breanna Black was excellent in the circle for the Cougars. She allowed only two hits the rest of the way as she didn't allow a run over the next five innings before Alyson Netty worked a scoreless seventh to close it out.
 
Liz Jarosz finished with two of Concordia's four hits as Zepeda added her single to lead off the game and Kelly McKenzie chipped in an infield single in the second to round out the offensive output.
 
Sioux Falls 14, Concordia-St. Paul 6 (5 inn.)
Sioux Falls jumped on the Golden Bears right off the bat in game two as they put the game out of reach quickly. Concordia managed to battle back but came up short as the Cougars finished off the sweep.
 
Shannon Daly opened the scoring two batters into the bottom of the first as she launched her second homer of the day to make it 1-0. Alyson Netty added a sacrifice fly, Megan Peterson chipped in an RBI single and Breanna Black singled home two more to put five runs on the board before the inning was out.
 
Danielle Walker slugged a two-run homer in the second to extend the lead to 7-0 as the Cougars continued to pull away.
 
The lead continued to grow in the third as Daly drove in two more with a single, Scott scored on a wild pitch and Betsy Thomas brought in another with an RBI ground out to push it to 11-0.
 
Liz Jarosz continued her strong day at the plate as she delivered a solo homer to lead off the fourth to put the Golden Bears on the board. Lauren Bartel followed later in the inning with a run-scoring double and Teona Zepeda and Nicole Thompson added RBI singles to pull Concordia within seven. Jarosz kept the inning going with a two-run single that closed the gap to 11-6 as CU put some pressure on Sioux Falls.
 
The Cougars stifled the rally with three runs in the fifth to enact the run rule as they pushed their lead back to eight runs. Walker drove in a run with a fielder's choice before Husemoen and Peterson each drove in runs with hits to close out the game.
 
Haley Schanks got the start for the Golden Bears as she worked the first two innings and took the loss. Amber Galloway and Linzy Heim both came in and pitched in relief to finish off the game.
 
Nicole Thompson, Jamie Fleischhacker and Liz Jarosz led the way with two hits apiece.
 
Concordia will return home this weekend as they host Wayne State on Saturday and Augustana on Sunday. Sunday will be Senior Day as senior Stephanie Kappes will be honored.