The Peacock Softball team closed out day two at the 2011 Desert Stinger by playing the Flyers of Lewis University at Majestic Park in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The action marked the fourth contest in two days for Upper Iowa.  UIU held a 5-1 lead over the Flyers after the third inning, but Lewis rallied for three runs each in the fourth and sixth inning and added a single run in the seventh to win the ballgame, 8-6.

Upper Iowa plated three runs in the first inning to take early control of the contest, 3-0.  With the bases loaded early in the inning, senior centerfielder Chelsey Sechrest knocked a single up the middle to bring in Hannah Jones and Robin Schaefer to start the Peacock scoring.  Trisha Hagensick reached on a Flyer error in the very next at-bat to score Erin Bennek and put the Peacocks further out in front.

After Lewis put a notch on the scoreboard in their half of the third inning, the Peacocks rank their lead to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame.  Jones smacked a leadoff homerun over the center field fence, her second of the young season, before Hagensick singled through the left side to score Bennek for the second time of the night.

The Flyers charged back in the fourth with three runs and eventually took the lead in the sixth with three more runs, 7-5.  Junior Erin Van Praag closed the gap in the bottom of the sixth for the Peacocks with a leadoff homerun to right field, but Upper Iowa wouldn’t get any closer as the Flyers added another run in the seventh to make the final tally 8-6 in favor of Lewis.

Jones and Sechrest lead UIU at the plate by going two-for-three.  Jones scored a pair of runs and drove in a run with her solo homerun while Sechrest brought in three Peacock runners.  Hagensick recorded a one-for-three outing at the plate while driving in two runs.  Starting pitcher Sarah Dec threw three and two-thirds innings while allowing six hits and striking out one batter.  Ashley Brown relieved Dec and allowed four of the eight Flyer runs in three and one-third innings of work. 

The Peacocks were outhit by just one, 11-10 but only left four runners stranded on base compared to nine for Lewis.

Upper Iowa will conclude action in the 2nd Annual Desert Stinger Classic Sunday afternoon when they match up with the Rangers of Regis University.  The first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. central time.