Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Upper Iowa softball team split the conference opening doubleheader against the Beavers of Bemidji State on Saturday in Bemidji, Minn. Big innings proved to be the difference in both games, with the Beavers having a big third en route to winning game 1, 6-4. It was the Peacocks, however, who would break open game two in the seventh on their way to a 6-4 victory. Upper Iowa moved to 6-17 on the season with the split, while Bemidji State is now 12-8.
 
Game one started slow, with neither team scoring in the first two innings. After the Peacocks came up empty in the top of the third, the Beavers took the lead in a big way in the bottom half of the inning. The BSU rally started with three straight singles, followed by a bases-loaded walk to score the game's first run. Then two more on-out singles pushed the Beaver lead to 4-0. With two outs, a two-run double gave Bemidji State a 6-0 lead after the third.
 
Upper Iowa came back with an RBI ground-rule double by Lauren Marlinghaus in the top of the fourth and RBI hits from Whitney Williams, Katie Mnichowicz and Jacqueline Flood in the top of the fifth to cut the Beaver lead to 2, 6-4.
 
The Peacocks had a hit in the sixth and seventh, but couldn't manage to score. Brooke Redmond (3-9) took the loss for UIU, throwing six innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs. Redmond struck out eight and walked two.
 
In the second stanza, it was UIU who would get on the board first. After a scoreless first, the Williams brought in Marlinghaus to give the Peacocks an early 1-0 lead. Bemidji State responded with a pair of home runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead.
 
The score remained the same until the top of the seventh, when the Peacocks got their first two runners on. Williams doubled to left center, scoring Sammy Garrett and Shelby Crist to tie the game at 3-3. Next up was Mnichowicz, who reached on an error that scored Williams to give UIU the lead, 4-3. Flood came up next and smacked a ground-rule double to score Mnichowicz, then an Erica Kirgan single scored Flood, giving Upper Iowa a 6-3 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Down to their last hitter, the Beavers hit a solo home run to cut the lead to two, 6-4, but the next hitter flew out to end the game. Flood earned the win for the Peacocks, tossing seven strong innings. She allowed seven hits and four runs, all earned, while striking out one.
Marlinghaus led Upper Iowa with four hits in seven at-bats on the day, including a pair of doubles. Williams had three hits, four RBIs and two runs scored, while Crist had three hits and a walk in six plate appearances.
 
The Peacocks take the field against an NSIC foe again tomorrow, playing a twin-billing against the Golden Eagles of Minnesota Crookston in Crookston, Minn. The first game will start at 1 p.m.