The Peacock softball team lost their final three
games of the 2012 Desert Stinger Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. over the weekend. Upper Iowa lost to New Mexico Highlands (5-2) and Lewis (6-2) on Saturday and then dropped a 9-0 decision to Western New Mexico on Sunday afternoon. UIU is leaving Las Vegas with a 1-4 record gaining their lone win over Colorado School of Mines.
In ten days, Feb. 22, Upper Iowa will head to Rochester, Minnesota for a pair of non-conference games against Grand View College before heading to St. Cloud, Minn. for the Husky Dome Classic on Feb. 25 and 26.
Recaps of each game can be found below.
New Mexico Highlands 5 – Upper Iowa 2 || Box Score
Highlands scored a quick two runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a hit, two walks and a hit batsmen that got the whole inning started.
The Peacocks were quick to answer when
Katie Mnichowicz singled with one out, stole second and then advanced to third base on a passed ball. The UIU shortstop scored on a ground ball from
Rachael Anello to pull the team within one.
The Highland bats let loose in the second inning though powering two shots over the outfield wall, one of which accounted for two runs, putting Upper Iowa in a 5-1 hole.
Hailley Haning singled to open the UIU fourth and later scored on an defensive miscue following a Missy Olson single. Olson was later cut down at the plate trying to score from second on a sharp single to left by
Bailee Haberman for the final out of the inning.
Trailing by three runs, the Peacocks threatened in the seventh loading the bases with one out, but a strikeout and ground out ended the rally and gave Highlands the 5-2 victory.
Brooklyn Koranda took the loss after just two innings of work; she allowed five runs on just three hits while striking out three, walking two and hitting two batters.
Jenna Hermsen came on in relief and threw well holding Highlands scoreless over the final five innings on three hits.
The Peacocks tallied more hits than their opponents, but were unable to string them together to put more runs on the board. Mnichowicz and Haning each had two hits.
Lewis 6 - Upper Iowa 2 || Box Score
The Peacock defense struggled in the Saturday nightcap committing 6 errors which lead to 6 unearned runs for the Flyers of Lewis.
In the second inning, two throwing errors aided three Flyer hits and allowed three unearned runs to cross the plate and put the Peacocks in an early hole.
Lewis struck again in the fifth with three more unearned runs thanks to a pair of fielding errors that would have ended the inning in quick fashion and a throwing error that kept the inning alive.
The Peacocks trailed 6-0 heading into the final inning where they attempted to rally from behind.
Whitney Williams singled to open the inning and later scored on an Anello double to center.
Kylee Knop then added to her rbi-total with a single to left that plated Anello. Lewis was able to shut the door on the comeback with back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the 6-2 margin.
Knop took the loss after throwing five innings and allowing six unearned runs on seven hits while striking out 6 batters. Koranda pitched one inning and only allowed one hit.
In the batter's box, Williams and Anello combined for four of the team's five hits.
Western New Mexico 9 - Upper Iowa 0 || Box Score
The Peacocks dropped a 9-0 decision to Mustangs of Western New Mexico in a run-shortened game.
The Mustangs put four runs on the board in the first inning thanks to four hits and highlighted by a pair of two-run homers.
Western New Mexico added a run in the third thanks to an rbi-double that plated a lead-off walk. The Mustangs added three more in the fourth fueled by a triple and their third two-run longball of the night. The final run of the game came in the fifth on Western New Mexico's fourth home run of the day.
The Peacocks best threat came in the fourth when they loaded the bases with two outs, but couldn't push a run across the plate.
Knop (1-2) took the loss after throwing 2.2 innings and allowing five runs on five hits and three walks. Hermsen surrendered four runs on four hits in her 2.1 innings of relief.
UIU's bats were held to just four hits in the game, all of which were singles.
