Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Peacock softball team dominated the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls in game one this afternoon in Fayette, but were pushed to extra innings to survive and earn a 4-2 victory in ten innings.  The win came thanks to the right arm of Jacqueline Flood and the same freshman’s bat that rammed a two-run, walk-off homerun off the scoreboard in left field in the bottom of the tenth.  With the two wins, UIU improves to 21-13 overall and 8-6 in the Northern Sun.
 
The Peacocks will return to the Eischeid Softball Complex Sunday afternoon for a double header with the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University beginning at 1 p.m.  The Peacock softball program will honor their three seniors between games in Fayette.
 
Game One Recap
 
Upper Iowa controlled the first affair from the outset scoring a run in the first on a Hailley Haning rbi –double and two in the second inning on a pair of run-scoring singles by Whitney Williams and Rachael Anello.
 
In between the scoring innings of Upper Iowa, the Cougars scratched the scoreboard for their only run of the game after a leadoff double by Priscilla Quintana turned into a USF run.
 
The Peacocks blew the game open in the third with five runs on five hits and one Cougar error.  UIU’s big inning was highlighted by an rbi-double off the bat of Lauren Marlinghaus, a two-run triple from Tara Duran, an rbi-basehit for Adrienna Olson and Anello.
 
The home team added three more in the fourth inning to push their lead to ten, 11-1, on a bases-clearing double by Duran with the bases loaded. 
 
Brooke Redmond closed the door on the Cougars in the fifth and faced just 18 batters to complete her five innings of work.  After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth the game ended due to the run rule and UIU registered the 11-1 victory.  Redmond (10-5) was nearly untouchable in earning the complete game victory and allowing just one run on three hits while striking out three Cougars.
 
Duran led the offense with two extra base hits, five runs batted in and two runs scored.  Anello and Flood both joined Duran with two hits in the ballgame. 
 
Game Two Recap
 
Flood and USF’s Amanda Walters picked up the ball to throw in game two and both pitchers did a tremendous job controlling their opponent’s offense. 
 
UIU was the first to notch a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning.  Katie Mnichowicz walked with one out and stole second with two outs; the UIU shortstop came home on an rbi-single to center field.
 
Sioux Falls answered with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth when UIU’s gloves betrayed them committing four errors in the inning.  The Cougars scored two runs without a hit.  Four of the first five batters reached on errors to score a run and keep the bases loaded.  The second run came on a sacrifice fly that nearly left the ballpark for a grand slam off the bat of Taylor Boshart, but leftfielder Bailee Haberman pulled down the ball at the fence to save UIU.
 
The Peacocks wasted little time tying the game up in the bottom of the inning.  An error allowed Olson to reach base, and after a Williams’ sacrifice bunt and an infield single by Anello, UIU’s second baseman came home on a sacrifice fly from Mnichowicz to tie the game.
 
Upper Iowa nearly won it in the eighth inning when Flood tried to score from first on a double to the left centerfield gap by Haberman.  The Cougars got the ball home in time to catch Flood and Haberman was stranded at third base.
 
Finally in the tenth inning, after throwing a quick 1-2-3 inning, Flood came to the plate with Haning on second and one out.  On a 3-2 pitch, Flood jumped all over a fastball in her wheelhouse.  The only thing that seemed to be missing as the ball crunched into the scoreboard were the sparks flying as in the movie The Natural. 
 
Flood had delivered her eighth win of the season with a brilliant performance from the rubber and a walk-off rocket in the tenth.  In the pitching circle, Flood (8-3) threw 10 innings and allowed just 4 hits and a pair of unearned runs while striking out five Cougars.
 
At the plate, Flood, Anello and Haning all posted a pair of hits.