April 5, 2008

UIU-UMC Box Score || UIU-U-Mary Box Score || UIU-NSU Box Score

The Peacock softball team picked up wins in their first three conference games of the 2008 season. Upper Iowa defeated UM, Crookston (2-1), U-Mary (9-3), and Northern State (5-4, 11 Inn.) on day one of the first of two Northern Sun Conference Crossover Weekends.

Upper Iowa started quickly in the first inning against UM, Crookston with three singles by Stephany Daubenspeck, Kami Appelt, and Stefani Schulte. Nicole Davis was able to produce a sacrifice fly to get the Peacocks on the board. Appelt later scored on a wild pitch. Upper Iowa ended the inning with a 2-0 lead on the Golden Eagles.

Both teams were held quiet until Crookston scored one on a Peacock throweing error. Nicole Davis was nearly unhittable as she held Crookston quiet over 7 innings allowing one run on one hit and struck out 14 Golden Eagle batters.

Upper Iowa continued its trend of striking early in its second game against U-Mary. Appelt walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Appelt scored on a Schulte single. The Peacocks added two runs in the bottom of the second with a Danielle DeSerano double and a Meredith Ang homerun. The score stood at 3-0 after two innings.

U-Mary notched a run on an RBI-single and trailed 3-1 in the top of the third. Appelt started the bottom of the third inning off with a single and advanced on a Schulte groundout. Appelt then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Davis walked and DeSerano reached on an error. Appelt scored on that error bringing their lead to 4-1. Upper Iowa continued its hot-hotting in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jacquline Greco singled. Jessie Gress drew a walk. Appelt singled to load the bases. Schulte then drew a bases-loaded walk to extend their lead to 5-1.

The Marauder bats woke up to score two runs on three hits to pull the score to 5-3. The Peacocks were able to answer as DeSerano singled and then stole second base. DeSerano advanced to third on an Ang groundout. Amanda Gargantiel drove in DeSerano with a single. Daubenspeck homered to start off the bottom of the sixth inning. Appelt followed up with a single. Schulte singled but was pinch-ran for by Julie Woolf. DeSerano reached on a fielder's choice. Ang singled and drove in Woolf. DeSerano scored on a U-Mary error to put the final score at 9-3.

The Peacocks drew first blood in game three as well. Gress singled and then stole second, before Daubenspeck singled. Both Gress and Daubenspeck advanced a base on a Crookston error. Gress later scored on another throwing error by the Golden Eagles. Appelt singled and drove in Daubenspeck. The Peacocks led 2-0 after one inning.

Gress walked to start off the second inning. Gress stole second base for the second time in the game. Kami Appelt singled and drove in Gress to extend the Peacock's lead to 3-0. Both teams were held quiet until Northern State tied the game with three runs on two hits in the seventh. Northern State added another run in the top of the ninth to pull ahead 4-3.

The Peacocks needed a run to extend the game. Greco singled and Daubenspeck reached on an error. Schulte then stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch double to score Greco and tie the game up at 4-4. In the eleventh, by rule, Greco was placed on second base to open the inning. Gress reached on an error while Greco advanced to third. Daubenspeck won the game with a sacrifice fly that sent Greco home.

The Peacocks were led by Kami Appelt (7 hits, 3 runs, 2 rbi), Danielle DeSerano (6 hits, 3 runs, 2 doubles, 3 sb), and Meredith Ang (4 hits, 3 rbi, 1 double, 1 HR) at the plate. Nikki Davis, Nicole Forristall, and Christy Loan each picked up wins for Upper Iowa.

UIU will return to the fields in Wayne, Nebraska for two more games tomorrow against the Dragons of MSU Moorhead and the Beavers of Bemidji State.