Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Records
Upper Iowa (2-8) || Wayne State (6-1) || Wisconsin-Parkside (0-2)
Recap
After a slow start to the 2014 season, the Upper Iowa softball team rebounded with two strong showings during the first day of the D2 Midwest Region Invite in Rosemont, Illinois. In game one against the 17th-ranked Warriors of Wayne State, the teams needed extra innings to decide a victor. The Peacocks nearly pulled off the upset, but faltered late as WSU scored four runs in the top of the eighth to earn the 4-1 victory. In game two, UIU rebounded quickly. The Peacocks jumped on the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside early and often in a 9-1 rout. The win is the first in two weeks for the Peacocks and it snaps a seven game skid.
Stats for both games will be made available as soon as possible.
Game One Recap
The Peacocks took on one of the best teams in the nation on Saturday morning and nearly pulled off the upset. UIU and Wayne State went to extra innings to decide a 1-1 deadlock. The Warriors scored the go-ahead run and added two insurance runs to seal the victory.
In the top of the third, starting pitcher
Jacqueline Flood got the Peacocks out of a jam. With Warrior runners on second and third and two outs, the sophomore right-hander delivered for the team in blue. She earned the strikeout and held WSU without a run as the teams headed to the bottom of the inning scoreless.
Flood then provided her own run support in the third.
Adrienna Olson, who got on base with a single, crossed home plate thanks to an RBI-single from Flood. Unfortunately for UIU, that was the only run of the game for the Peacocks.
Wayne State tied the game in the fifth, but neither team could earn a lead as the game moved to the sixth and seventh innings.
Brooke Redmond took over for Flood in the seventh and held WSU from scoring as the infield turned two to end the inning. The Peacocks couldn't seal the win in the bottom of the 7th though.
The Warriors finally capitalized on their opportunities in the eighth as they earned three runs, two of which came off Peacock errors. The advantage was enough to be the difference as the WSU defense held on for the 4-1 victory.
Game Two Recap
Needing a bounce-back game, the Peacocks jumped all over the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside in the second game of the day. UIU's ensuing 9-1 victory gives the team in blue a little momentum heading into tomorrow's matchups.
The Peacocks struck early and often against the Rangers, the first blow came in the top of the second.
Whitney Williams delivered a clutch hit to bring Flood across the plate and give UIU a 1-0 lead. An inning later, UIU added to its lead.
Lauren Marlinghaus perfected the squeeze as
Katie Mnichowicz scored from third. A couple batters later, Flood drove in a run as she doubled to right.
Despite trailing 4-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth, the Rangers didn't quit. A sac-fly brought a UWP run home, but that was the only run the Rangers would get. Williams ended the inning by snagging a fly ball and the Peacocks went back to work on offense.
With runners on first and second in the top of the sixth,
Tara Duran pushed two Peacocks around the bases as she reached on a fielder's choice. Marlinghaus then added another RBI to her stat line to give UIU a 7-1 lead, but the team in blue wasn't done yet.
Olson added two more RBIs before the inning was complete as the Peacocks wrapped up the 9-1 victory. The win snaps a seven-game losing streak as UIU looks to start a new streak tomorrow as they shoot for an upset win against the fourth-ranked Lakers of Grand Valley State.
Up Next
The Peacocks will begin day two of the D2 Midwest Region Invitational at 9 a.m. as they take on the Lakers. Then, UIU will head to Romeoville, Illinois to face the tournament hosts - the Flyers of Lewis University at 1 p.m.
