Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 RecordsUpper Iowa (15-23, 8-10 NSIC) || Southwest Minnesota State (11-26-1, 8-13-1 NSIC)
SummarySolid pitching and timely hits helped the Upper Iowa softball team get back in the win column on Friday afternoon in Marshall, Minnesota as the Peacocks swept Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Conference action.
Jacqueline Flood gave up just one run - unearned - off seven hits to the Mustangs in game one and
Erica Kirgan notched the only RBI of the game to propel UIU to a 2-1 decision. Then in game two, the Peacocks relied on big hits as four Peacocks earned runs batted in including
Tara Duran,
Shelby Crist, Kirgan and
Lauren Marlinghaus, who busted open game two with her fourth jack of the season in the fifth inning – a two-run blast to put UIU out in front 5-3 as the Peacocks clinched the victory and the sweep, 7-3.
Game One Recap | UIU - 2, SMSU - 1Upper Iowa had full control of the first of two games against the Mustangs thanks to a fourth-inning RBI from Kirgan and stellar pitching from Flood. UIU's sophomore right-hander allowed seven hits and did not allow a single earned run. SMSU's last-gasp attempt at a comeback in the seventh inning was fueled by a Peacock throwing error, but besides that, Flood was solid. Every other inning beginning in the first, Flood stranded a pair of Mustangs on the bags. She also retired three-straight batters in the second and fourth innings.
Her strong play gave the visiting team the momentum, while Kirgan gave her team the lead. After
Riley Kruel led off the top of the fourth with a single to third, Flood moved her up a bag with a sac-bunt. Kirgan then grounded out to the pitcher as Kruel advanced to third, but the play wasn't over. The Mustangs made an error and Kruel took advantage of the mistake, scoring from third to give her team a 1-0 lead.
The Peacocks added an insurance run - one they would later need to clinch the win - as
Whitney Williams connected on an single in the sixth inning. Again, a Mustang throwing error helped the Peacocks scratch the scoreboard as
Katie Sammons scored on the play.
SMSU's failed comeback in the bottom of the seventh resulted in a Peacock victory, 2-1. For Flood, it was her fourth victory of the season. The Mt. Vernon, Illinois native added a pair of strikeouts and just one walk to her stat line as she helped retire 20 batters.
Game Two Recap | UIU - 7, SMSU - 3The early win gave the visiting team some momentum heading into game two. That changed in a hurry though.
The home team posted a quick 1, 2, 3 inning on defense before scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning. The Peacocks answered back as
Shelby Crist earned an RBI-single in the top of the second, which brought Kirgan home from third. Then in the third, UIU added runs two, three and four. First, Kirgan grounded-out to short as
Katie Mnichowicz crossed home plate. Two batters later and with a runner on,
Lauren Marlinghaus connected on her fourth jack of the season to put UIU out in front for good.
The Mustangs responded with a home run of their own to lead off the fourth inning, but UIU still held a 4-3 lead. That was all sophomore southpaw
Brooke Redmond needed to get the win - her 11th of the year.
Tara Duran and Crist both added RBIs in the fifth, while Kirgan added to her team-high RBI totals with her 27th run batted in of the year in the sixth as the visitors sealed the 7-3 victory on the road.
Up NextThe Peacocks will be back in action tomorrow at noon as they take on the Cougars of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. Click
here to read the preview. Also on the map for UIU is a Tuesday doubleheader with Augustana. The team moved this matchup to Tuesday due to predicted weather in Fayette on Wednesday.
