The Upper Iowa softball team has now won three straight for the first time this season after sweeping the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles on Sunday in Crookston, Minn. The Peacocks withstood a late push by the Golden Eagles in game one, then cruised to victory in game two after getting ahead early. UIU improved to 8-17 and 3-1 in conference play after the sweep, while UMC fell to 4-20 and 0-6 in conference play.
 
The Peacocks started game one by having five straight hitters reach base and scoring three runs in the first inning. The Golden Eagles responded with two runs of their own in bottom of the first. Each team scored again in the second, with UIU holding onto a 4-3 lead after two innings.
 
Upper Iowa started to pull away in the fourth when Jacqueline Flood was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home a run. Erica Kirgan came up next and singled to score another run as the Peacocks pushed their lead to two.
 
Upper Iowa used five hits in the fifth to score four more runs and go up 10-3. UIU surrendered a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, but Flood came back with a solo home run of her own in the top of the seventh, giving the Peacocks a seven run lead heading to the Golden Eagles final at-bat.
 
After UMC's leadoff batter walked, Golden Eagle's second baseman Shelby Hollinger smacked a two-run home run to cut the lead to five, 11-6. Four batters later, Josee Plante came to the plate with two on and two outs, and she hit a three-run bomb to slice into the Peacock lead. Peacock pitcher Brooke Redmond struck out the final Golden Eagle hitter to stop the rally and end the game.
 
Redmond (3-10) threw all seven innings, allowing 12 hits and nine runs, eight of which were earned. She struck out seven and walked one. Flood went 4-for-4 in the game, scoring three runs and finishing with four RBIs. Kirgan was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Whitney Williams had two hits and scored four times.
 
Game two was much more of a pitcher's duel. The Golden Eagles got on the board first when a runner from third was able to score when the Peacocks attempted to catch a runner stealing second.
 
Minnesota Crookston held onto a 1-0 lead until the top of the third, when the Peacocks put a four-spot on the board. Shelby Crist singled and advanced to second to start the inning. Williams was able to move Crist to third on a sacrifice bunt. Katie Mnichowicz grounded out to second, but Crist was able to score. Then, following Flood being hit by a pitch, Kirgan and DH Katie Sammons hit back-to-back home runs and the Peacocks took a 4-1 lead.
 
Flood and Sammons each hit doubles in the fifth to score another run, but the Golden Eagles had a pair of hits in the bottom of the inning to score a run of their own. Sammons singled in the top of the seventh, scoring Mnichowicz to wrap up the scoring on the day.
 
Sammons led UIU by going 4-for-4 in game two with two RBIs. Flood (4-6) threw seven strong innings, allowing seven hits and two runs, while striking out four and walking one.
 
Upper Iowa will head to Sioux Falls, S.D., for a doubleheader against Augustana College on Tuesday, Mar. 31, to wrap up a six game road trip.