Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Records Upper Iowa (9-15, 2-2 NSIC) || Wayne State (20-10, 6-2 NSIC)
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Summary It's a good thing the Upper Iowa softball team has a short memory because they needed it on Tuesday. After dropping game one of their home-opener to Wayne State, 11-1, the Peacocks bounced back with a resounding 11-0 throbbing in game two to earn a split in Northern Sun Conference action. The win in game two was fueled by a three-run home run from
Lauren Marlinghaus - her third jack of the season - and a grand slam from
Erica Kirgan - her seventh homer of the year. Thanks to those two bombs, UIU led 9-0 after two innings and entrusted pitcher
Brooke Redmond to seal the win. She did just that, as she went five innings allowing just three hits and no runs to earn the victory and improve to 8-6 this year. The split gives UIU a .500 record in NSIC play this year at 2-2.
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Game One Recap | WSC - 11, UIU - 1After a strong defensive effort in the first inning, the Peacocks fell victim to the Wildcats' offensive attack in the top of the second. After WSC loaded the bases, Jordan King doubled to right-center bringing home three of her teammates. But the damage didn't stop there. The visitors added a two-run jack from Megan Hagemann to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
After getting stifled in the bottom of the first inning on a play at home plate which went in favor of the Wildcats, the Peacocks scratched the scoreboard in the third. The home team answered WSC's run with an RBI-single from none other than
Erica Kirgan. The sophomore infielder brought
Katie Mnichowicz home with the base-rip, but the momentum stopped there. UIU was unable to mount a comeback and the Wildcats wrapped up the win after adding a few insurance runs.
The 11-1 victory for Wayne State was the fifth in a row against UIU, but the Peacocks didn't wait long to stop that streak.
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Game Two Recap | UIU - 11, WSC - 0Despite the Wildcats' ace pitcher Kelcie Bormann getting the start, the Peacocks struck blood early and often.
Lauren Marlinghaus went yard for a three-run jack in the top of the first to steal WSC's momentum. In the top of the second, Mnichowicz got in on the action with a RBI-single to left-center. Her base-hit brought
Whitney Williams home on the play as UIU took a 3-0 lead. The Peacocks didn't stop there though. After
Riley Kruel reached base,
Tara Duran came up with a clutch single to bring
Adrienna Olson across the diamond as the home team's lead swelled to five.
Not to be outdone, Kirgan added four RBIs of her own - all in the second inning - but they all came on one swing with the bases loaded. Her grand slam over the centerfield wall was the second of the sophomore slugger's career at UIU after she went yard with the bags full against Grand View on March 2, 2013. The two bombs and two RBI-singles im the inning gave UIU a commanding 9-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
With still plenty of time to mount a comeback, the Wildcats prepped for a big run, but no such comeback was eminent. That's because
Brooke Redmond was lights-out from the rubber. The sophomore southpaw threw five innings and allowed just three hits en route to her second shutout of the season.
The Peacocks added an insurance run in third after Kruel reached on an error at first. Then in the fourth,
Megan Butler earned her first collegiate hit with a double to center, which brought
Kayla Bergman home from second. The 11-0 lead was more than enough for Redmond as she shut the Wildcats' offense down and sealed her eighth win of the season.
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Up Next UIU will end this week with a trip to North Dakota depending on the weather. On Saturday, the team faces U-Mary (18-12, 3-3 NSIC) at 1 p.m. before taking on Minot State (16-8, 3-3 NSIC) on Sunday at 12 p.m.
