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JOPLIN, MO. – Three runs in the top of the first and five runs in the fourth propelled the Pittsburgh State Gorillas to an 8-1 victory over the Upper Iowa Softball team in the first game of the Missouri Southern Border Battle, but the Peacocks showed no signs of quitting. Brooke Redmond gave up only five hits and one run in UIU’s first-of-two matchups with the host Lions of Missouri Southern State. Redmond – the left-hander from Basehor, Kansas – earned the 4-1 victory and improved her record to 5-1 early in the 2013 season. Whitney Williams sustained the Peacocks’ momentum in the nightcap game against MSSU with a three-run double in the top of the third. That big hit and two solo RBI shots from Tara Duran helped the Peacocks hold on for a 7-6 victory.
 
Saturday's 2-1 mark pushes UIU out to a 9-5 record early in 2013 – the Peacocks’ best start under Head Coach Anna Van Wetzinga.
 
Game 1 Recap - Box Score
 
A three-run home run in the top of the first from the Gorillas’ Tiffany Brown gave PSU a 3-0 lead and all the momentum in the first game of the Missouri Southern Border Battle. The Peacocks, who finished with six total hits, struggled offensively and could not catch the red-hot PSU bats. The Gorillas added five runs in the top of the fifth, but the Peacocks fueled the fire with two defensive errors in that inning.
 
“Pittsburgh State came out hard and we didn’t respond well to the adversity,” Van Wetzinga said.
 
Tara Duran put UIU on the board for the only time in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI-single, scoring Kayla Bergman, but the Peacocks would come no closer. PSU earned the 8-1 victory and ended up taking its later game as well to improve to 8-4 overall this year.
 
Game 2 Recap - Box Score
 
Despite giving up an RBI-single in the bottom of the second to the Lions, Brooke Redmond could not have pitched much better in the Peacocks second game of the tournament. The left-handed freshman went all seven innings against MSSU, finishing with six strikeouts, while giving up only one earned run on five hits. The strong performance in the pitching circle gave Redmond her fifth win in six starts this year.
 
“She came up with the big pitches when it mattered most,” Van Wetzinga said. “Offensively, it was a nice team effort from up and down the lineup.”
 
Offensively, Hailley Haning helped the Peacocks get on the board first as she roped an RBI-single to center field in the top of the fourth, scoring Kaite Mnichowicz. Two innings later it was Jacqueline Flood’s turn to bring a Peacock home. Her triple in the top of the sixth brought Haning home and Flood scored moments later as Lauren Marlinghaus connected on her fourth double and her seventh RBI of the year.
 
“The top half of our lineup got things going and Haning, Flood and Marlinghaus all came up with big RBIs,” the Peacocks third year coach said.
 
Bailee Haberman rounded out the scoring with her eighth RBI of the year. Her shot in the top of the seventh gave UIU the solid 4-1 victory.
 
Game 3 Recap - Box Score
 
The Peacocks’ momentum carried into the final game on Saturday despite a quick 1-0 lead for the Lions after one inning. Dawn Grass helped get MSSU on the board, but Duran answered right back with a RBI-single in the top of the second to tie the game at 1-1.

UIU waited until the next inning to do its heaviest damage. With runners at each bag, Williams cleared the bases with a three-run double.

“Whitney Williams and Tara Duran came up with big offensive games,” Van Wetzinga said. “They provided a big spark from the bottom of the lineup.”

The Peacocks added to their 4-1 lead in the top of the fifth thanks to another RBI-single from Duran and in the top of the sixth with an RBI-single from Flood and an Adrienna Olson walk with the bases loaded.

The Lions didn't give up, though.

MSSU bounced back with one run in the sixth and four runs in the seventh. In relief, Redmond struck out two batters in the final inning with the bases loaded, ultimately sealing the 7-6 UIU victory.

“She has been able to keep teams off balance,” Van Wetzinga said. “She has done a good job of leaving runners on the bases and not giving up big innings.”

The save in relief was Redmond's first of her young and bright career, while Duran and Williams had a red-hot start to the weekend. The duo finished with five combined RBI in the game, while Flood went six strong innings from the rubber.
 
The Peacocks will have an early rise tomorrow as the Missouri Southern Border Battle continues. UIU will begin day two at 10 a.m. against the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Then, the Peacocks will cap off the tournament with a noon matchup against Missouri Western State. Click here to read the preview for those games.