SCSU – UIU BOX SCORE
AC – UIU BOX SCORE
VCSU – UIU BOX SCORE
 
The Peacock softball team dropped their first two games Sunday at the Husky Dome Invite hosted by St. Cloud State, but Upper Iowa salvaged a win in their final game to move their record to 4-7 overall and split their four games in Minnesota over the weekend.

The host Huskies of St. Cloud State got the better of the Peacocks in game one, 5-4.  SCSU scored two runs in the first inning thanks to a bases-loaded single, added a run in the third on a solo homerun, and pushed their final two runners across the plate in the fifth on a two-run homerun that came with two outs.

The Peacocks answered with a run in the sixth as Erin Van Praag plated Kylee Knop on an infield ground ball.  Trailing 5-1 in their final at bat, Upper Iowa tried to rally for the win, but fell just one run shy.  Missy Olson opened the inning with a double and scored on a Knop single with two outs.  After a Hailley Haning single, Bailee Haberman forced both runners home with a single.  Van Praag singled to set up runners on the corners and move the tying run just one base away, but the game ended on a grounder to third.

Jenna Hermsen took the loss after throwing 4.2 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits.  At the plate, Knop accounted for three hits, while Tara Duran tallied two hits.

The Peacocks then took on the high-powered Vikings of Augustana.  Augie took control of the game in the bottom of the fourth when they broke a 2-2 tied with six runs en route to a 10-2 win.

After the Vikings scored a pair of runs in the third, Upper Iowa answered right back with two runs in the top of the fourth.  UIU loaded the bases with one out thanks to a pair of singles and a fielding error.  Hermsen singled to plate Haning and Haberman crossed the plate later in the inning on a second Viking error.

The separation came in the bottom of the inning when Augustana broke free for six runs on seven hits and one Peacock error.  The inning was highlighted by a two-run homer and a pair of rbi-doubles.  Augie added two more runs in the sixth to end the game due to the run rule.

Knop took the loss for UIU after allowing eight runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings.  Haberman got her first work pitching this season; she threw 2 innings of relief and allowed two runs on four hits.  Haning and Haberman each collected two hits in the batter’s box.

In the final game of the day, the Peacocks got back on the winning track with an 8-3 victory over Valley City State University. 

VCSU struck first with a run in the top of the first, but Upper Iowa answered quickly with three runs in the bottom of the inning.  The inning was fueled by an rbi-double from Haning, a run-scoring single from Haberman.  UIU added another run in the second when Olson tripled to chase home Katie Mnichowicz. 

Valley City scraped back one run in the third to cut the gap to 4-2, but the Peacocks pushed their lead back to four runs in the fifth inning when a Haberman single drove in one run and a Van Praag double pushed another run across.

After VCSU scored the final run in the sixth, UIU scored its final pair of runs in the bottom of the inning.  Knop drove in one run with a single and Haning plated the second run with a single of her own.

Brooklyn Koranda earned the lone win for the Peacock pitchers on the day with a complete game.  She allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out 6 batters.

At the plate, Haning rapped three hits and Olson and Haberman each tallied a pair of hits.

The Peacocks will now head to Joplin, Mo. for four games in the Teri Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament hosted by Missouri Southern State.  Upper Iowa will face Truman State and Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, Mar. 3, and Central Missouri and Missouri Southern State on Sunday, Mar. 4.