The Peacocks used a fourteen-hit outing on offense and a three-hit, shutout from their defense to post a commanding win in the first of two games from the Eischeid Softball Complex on Saturday.
UIU jumped out to an early lead thanks to an RBI-double to left-center from
Jacqueline Flood.
Katie Mnichowicz scored on the play as she put her team up, 1-0. Technically, that was all the run support Flood would need from the pitching circle, but the UIU offense kept up its attack.
In the third inning,
Erica Kirgan earned her 33rd RBI of the year with a sac-fly to centerfield, but the UIU bats really came alive in the fourth. After
Shelby Crist led-off the inning with a double, the Beavers recorded back-to-back outs. UIU, much like it has done in the latter half of the season, settled in and responded with runs despite the two outs.
Riley Kruel began the three-run inning with an RBI-single to left. Flood then provided her own run support as she doubled to centerfield to bring in another run. Kirgan finally capped the offensive spurt with a run-scoring single to right-field.
UIU added insurance run number six in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a solo RBI from
Lauren Marlinghaus. Her score helped the Peacocks wrap-up the 6-0 win and stay on-pace for a postseason berth.
Game Two Recap | UIU – 7, BSU – 6 (10 Inn.)Despite the momentum in game one going in favor of the home team, the Beavers stormed out of the gates in the night-cap. BSU scored four runs off five hits and forced the Peacocks to make a switch at pitcher. Senior
Brooklyn Koranda earned the start, but gave up the first three runs and
Brooke Redmond was called upon instead.
Redmond gave up another run as BSU took a 4-0 lead after one, but the Peacocks slowly, but surely, clawed their way back into the game.
In the bottom of the third, the Peacocks were at the end of their batting order, but that didn't stop
Adrienna Olson from connecting on her fourth home run of the season. One batter later, Mnichowicz followed suit with her own solo jack. The back-to-back home runs pulled UIU within two, 4-2, as the defense stiffened.
UIU held BSU scoreless for five straight innings, while the offense looked for some sort of advantage. Finally, the Peacocks' defense folded as the visitors added two more runs in the sixth inning – the second of which came on a stand-up double from a ball that hit off the fence in left-field.
Now trailing 6-2, the Peacocks needed a trick of their own up their sleeve. Again, UIU called upon their senior second-baseman. With a pair of runners on the bags, Olson stepped to the plate. She couldn't find open field, but her sacrifice-fly to right field pulled the home team within three runs, 6-3.
Again, Mnichowicz followed Olson's lead. This time, the junior sliced a single to the grass in right field allowing Crist to score. Within two runs now, the Peacocks looked as if their inning was over. Flood stepped to the plate and misfired on a pitch. Her blooper to the grass in centerfield was nearly caught, but instead, it went off the glove of BSU's centerfielder and put two more runs on the board for the home team, tying the game at 6-6.
Neither team could take the lead in regulation, so the team's headed to extra innings. Finally in the bottom of the tenth inning, Olson ordered up a little more senior magic. After Crist recorded a fielder's choice to get on base, Upper Iowa's nine-hole hitter –Olson – ripped a ball to the gap in right field for a stand-up double.
Even though Crist was standing on first when Olson earned the hit, she scooted around the bases in a hurry. She was waved home and just as the relay-throw was arriving, so was she. Crist dove, head-first and tagged home plate with her left hand. BSU's catcher actually made the tag, but dropped the ball in the process as UIU earned the walk-off win.
The 7-6 victory is the third walk-off win for the Peacocks this season, but it also marked UIU's first weekend sweep in NSIC play. The weekend also held special significance for the three Peacock seniors, who were playing in their final home games of their respective careers.
Kayla Bergman,
Brooklyn Koranda and
Adrienna Olson said goodbye to the Eischeid Softball Complex as their friends and family cheered.
