SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State University softball team outscored the Sioux Falls Cougars 14-2 on Wednesday to earn a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader sweep at the Sanford Sports Complex.

The Mustangs won 4-1 in the opener before closing out the doubleheader with a 10-1 win.

SMSU, snapping its six-game losing streak, moves to 24-20 on the season and 6-12 in NSIC play, while USF drops to 21-19 overall and 9-9 in league play.

Karlie Miller (10-9) earned the game one win following a stellar complete-game performance in the circle. Miller allowed just one run on two hits while picking up five strikeouts. 

The first three innings of game one resulted in a standstill following a defensive battle between the teams. The fourth inning saw the first run of the game score, with the Mustangs breaking through first.

With two outs and one runner on first, Grace Anderson recorded an infield single to keep the inning alive. Back-to-back RBI singles from Paris Van Dyke and Karlie Miller scored the first pair of runs and gave SMSU a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. 

USF would eventually record its first hit of the day, with Alannah Naumann hitting a lead-off home run in the bottom of the sixth. It would be the lone run of the game for the Cougars.

SMSU responded by adding a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh. A hit-by-pitch and single started the inning before Riley Kramolisch moved both runners into scoring position off a sac bunt. The next play saw a failed pick-off attempt at third base turn into another SMSU run before Abby Russell singled to left field to score the last run.

The Mustangs totaled eight hits in game one with Miller, Russell, and Van Dyke all recording two hits and an RBI. 

SMSU built off the momentum of game one to cruise to a dominant win in game two. The Mustangs started the scoring with a three-run second inning using three hits and a pair of walks.

Grace Anderson led off with a walk and later scored off a Miller double to center field. Lexi Ingalls followed Miller with an RBI double of her own to extend the lead to 2-0 before Kaylee Hafermann plated the third run with a bloop single to center field.

SMSU was able to put two runners in scoring position once more before a groundout ended the inning.

However, the Mustangs were not finished, as Ingalls recorded another double in the third that plated two more runners and extended the lead to five runs.

SMSU used a throwing error from right field and a double from Grace Anderson to score twice more in the fourth and take a seven-run lead.

A double in the bottom of the seventh saw USF score its second run of the day before Jordyn Marsh shut down the Cougars and limited the damage.

A lead-off double by Jordyn Marsh put a runner in scoring position with nobody down before a walk from Brynn Webber put runners on the corners. In her first career at-bat, Jordan Bussey drilled a ball through the right side to score Miller before Abby Boxrud walked to load the bases.

Emma Humpal came up big, roping a ball past the center fielder for a two-out, two-RBI double before the inning came to a close.

SMSU tallied 13 hits in game two, with Anderson, Humpal, Ingalls, and Miller each recording a pair of hits. Lexi Ingalls logged a career-high three RBI.

Morgyn Otte (8-8) earned the win after throwing four scoreless innings and allowing just one hit. Jordyn Marsh (7) earned the save after holding USF to one run over the last three innings.