April 22, 2008
Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score
The Peacocks hosted the NSIC-leader Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State in the final two regular season conference games for Upper Iowa. The game was originally scheduled for earlier in April, but some late winter weather did not allow the field at Eischeid Complex to be playable. While Upper Iowa was in the double header for their last two conference games, Southwest Minnesota State has one more NSIC double header to come after today.
The pitchers controlled the first three innings of game one allowing just one hit while striking out eight batters. Erin Dickhausen reached first with a single up the middle to open the 4th inning for the visiting Mustangs. Dickhausen reached second on an error in centerfield that put runners on first and second. Amanda Opatz laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third with one out. Nikki Davis buckled down and struck out Amanda Tucci for the second out and Kiley Petersen to retire the side and strand two Mustangs on the bases.
Davis earned the first hit for the home team with a double over the center fielder's head with one out in the bottom of the fourth. Amanda Johnson, the Mustang starter, stepped up to the challenge and held Davis at second striking out Meredith Ang and Erin Bennek to keep the game scoreless heading into the fifth inning.
The Mustangs put the first run on the board as Nicole Kelley reached third base with one out due to a second error in the Peacocks' centerfield. Kelley scored on a sacrifice fly by Jessica Paczosa. Kristin Braden then doubled to right center to give the Mustangs another runner in scoring position. Dickhausen reached second on DeSerano's third error of the game in center scoring Braden and then scored herself on a single by Burkhardt. In total the Mustangs scored three runs, all of which were unearned.
The Peacocks looked to rally in the bottom of the inning as they put runners on the corners with two outs in the inning, but Johnson remained focused and registered a strikeout for the final out of the inning.
Southwest Minnesota added a run in the sixth inning on three straight singles with one out in the inning. Andrea Fennern picked up an rbi with the third single of the inning.
Amanda Gargantiel singled to short to open the bottom of the seventh as the Peacocks attempted to rally from four down. The Peacocks were unable to to push Gargantiel any farther around the bases and took the loss, 4-0. With the win Southwest Minnesota improves to 30-8 on the season and 14-1 in NSIC play, while the loss dropped Upper Iowa's record to 12-24 overall and 9-8 in the conference.
Davis took the loss in game one, although of the four runs she allowed only one was earned. Davis allowed seven hits while striking out seven in her seven innings of work. Johnson earned her 22nd win of the season with a complete game as she limited the Peacock batters to just three hits while striking out twelve Peacocks.
Upper Iowa honored three seniors in between games. Davis, Stephany Daubenspeck, and Jessie Gress were all honored at home plate.
Game two opened much the way the first game did as the pitchers worked ahead through the first two innings holding the advantage over opposing batters. Peacock starter Christy Loan forced three ground outs in the top of the inning, while Sara Silke struck out two and popped one Peacock batter up on the infield. In the second, Loan forced another ground out then added a strikeout and an infield fly to close the inning. Silke defended her position with a snare on a ground ball up the middle before retiring the second and third batters on a grounder to short and one to third.
Loan opened the third with a ground out and strikeout before Fennern reached second with a double, the Mustangs' first hit of the game. After a walk put runners on first and second, Loan got a flyball to center to end the threat. Gargantiel opened the bottom of the third with a walk. With one out, Gress sacrifice bunted and moved Gargantiel to second. With a runner in scoring position and two outs, Silke registered a strikeout to end the Peacock scoring chance.
Daubenspeck was busy in the field during the top of the fourth. The first baseman pulled down two pop ups in foul territory and took a grounder at first unassisted. The senior then led off the bottom of the fourth for Upper Iowa with a flyball to center. The centerfielder and rightfielder collided in right center as the ball bounced off the glove of the centerfielder for an error. Daubenspeck motored around the bases touching home just before the ball was sent back into the plate. The Peacocks claimed a 1-0 lead on the four-base error. With one out, Davis reached on a single down the left field line, but was erased from the basepaths on a fielder's choice. Silke forced a ground out to end the inning with the Mustangs trailing 1-0.
The Mustangs opened the top of the fifth with a single up the middle off the bat of Petersen. She was safe at second due to an error on a fielder's choice. With one out and two runners in scoring position, the Mustangs got an rbi-single from the bat of Paczosa to tie the score at 1-1. With runners on the corners, the Mustangs thought they had another run on a sacrifice fly, but an appeal to third resulted in the final out of the inning as the home plate umpire determined that the runner on third left early. The game moved to the bottom of the fifth knotted at 1-1.
Gress doubled with two outs in the fifth to give UIU a runner in scoring position. DeSerano singled over the head of the third basemen to give the home team runners on the corners with two down and Daubenspeck stepping into the batter's box. Southwest Minnesota made a pitching change bringing game one winner, Johnson, back to the rubber. Johnson forced a flyout to third to end the Peacock threat and push the game into the sixth inning still tied at 1-1.
Loan remained strong in the sixth as she forced a ground out to short and tallied two strike outs to sit the Mustangs down in order. In the bottom of the inning, Appelt hit a rocket at the third basemen, Fennern, who made the grab for the first out. Johnson then struck out Davis swinging for the second out and got a ground ball for the final out of the sixth.
Kelley gave the Mustangs a runner with no outs on a single to center and advanced to third on a pair of ground outs. A walk put runners on the corners with two outs, but Loan was able to defend her position grabbing a grounder back up the middle to record the final out of the inning at first. Johnson got through the bottom of the inning quickly setting the Peacock bats down on a ground out and two more strikeouts. The game moved to extra innings tied at 1-1.
The Mustangs opened the top of the eighth with two singles back up the middle by Braden and Dickhausen. With no outs, Burkhardt doubled to center driving in Braden and giving SMSU a 2-1 lead. After a pitching change, Davis was back on the mound for the Peacocks. She hit the first batter she faced to load the bases with still no one out in the inning. Another Peacock error allowed a run to score on a bad throw trying to cut a run off at home. After the runs, Davis got two more ground outs to end the inning.
Johnson worked a perfect eighth to end the game with a 1-2-3 inning and give Southwest Minnesota State their 15th NSIC victory of the season.
Loan took the loss in game two as she allowed three runs, only one of which was earned, as she scattered seven hits over her seven innings while striking out four. Johnson picked up her 23rd win of the season in relief for the Mustangs. SMSU's ace threw 3.1 innings striking out five while not allowing a UIU hit.
The Peacocks will now travel to Mankato, Minnesota this weekend for five games in a tournament hosted by the Mavericks of Minnesota State. Upper Iowa's final two games of the regular season will be next Tuesday in Fayette versus the same Mavericks at the Eischeid Complex. Games next week will begin at 2 p.m.
