April 27, 2009

Game One Stats

Game Two Stats

The Upper Iowa softball team wrapped up its weekend road trip Sunday in Marshall, Minnesota against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State. The Peacocks got off to a slow start in game one of the doubleheader as they lost the opener, 7-2. In game two, the Peacock bats came to life and Upper Iowa handed the first-place Mustangs an 8-4 loss. Upper Iowa now sits in the eighth spot in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with a 13-11 conference record and a 22-20 mark overall.

Southwest Minnesota State came out firing on all cylinders in game one as they posted a seven-run second inning and put the Peacocks in a hole they wouldn't be able to dig themselves out of. UIU would score a pair of runs in the sixth inning when Kami Appelt and Erin Bennek hit back-to-back homeruns over the left field fence but would get no closer.

Peacock pitcher Christy Loan allowed just six hits while giving up only one earned run in picking up the loss. Loan's record fell to 10-9 for the season as she struck out four Mustang batters.

In game two, the Peacocks scored early and often as they posted six runs in the first two innings of action. In the first inning, Bennek singled to right center which scored Casey Coon from second base. The next Peacock batter, Stefani Schulte then singled to left field to score Appelt and gave UIU an early 2-0 lead. In the second inning the Peacocks picked up two early runs thanks to walks and scored another when Bennek singled to third base. SMSU would walk another runner across the plate later in the inning to give Upper Iowa an early 6-0 lead.

The Mustangs gained three runs back in the bottom of the third before Bennek launched the first pitch from Mustang pitcher Sara Silke over the fence in left field to extend the Peacock lead to 7-3. The Mustangs added another run in the fourth and UIU added one in the seventh to give the Peacocks an 8-4 win.

Starting pitcher Stefani Schulte pitched the first three innings before being relieved by freshman Erica Maisto. Maisto collected her fifth win of the season allowing no hits in her four innings of relief; she also struck out a pair of batters.

The Peacocks will close out the regular season Tuesday afternoon when they will make up the previously postponed doubleheader with the University of Mary. The Peacocks will host U-Mary at the Eischied Softball Complex. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m. If Upper Iowa picks up one win on Tuesday, they will clinch a spot in the NSIC Championships.