The Peacock softball team salvaged a split on Tuesday with the Golden Bear of Concordia-St. Paul by lighting up the scoreboard early in the second game. In game one, Upper Iowa lead for the majority of the game, but gave up three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to fall 4-2. UIU, however, came back with hot bats to start game two, scoring nine runs in the first three innings to propel themselves to a 10-4 victory and a series split. After today, the Peacocks now stand at 17-22 overall and 12-6 in NSIC play, while the Golden Bears are now 16-27 overall and 10-10 in conference.

Riley Kruel led UIU at the plate, finishing the day 6-for-7, including a double, and four runs scored. Whitney Williams went 4-of-8 at the dish and tied for the team-high with three RBIs on the day.

The Peacocks will stay on the road for three more doubleheaders this week, starting with a rescheduled twin-billing at Winona State on Thursday. The games were originally scheduled for March 26, but were moved due to inclement weather. Thursday's games against the Warriors are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
 
Game 1: Concordia 4, Upper Iowa 2
After a scoreless first, Riley Kruel singled, Shelby Crist walked and Whitney Williams singled to load the bases in the second. Katie Mnichowicz singled just out of the reach of the Golden Bear shortstop up the middle to bring home Kruel and Crist, giving Upper Iowa an early 2-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Concordia got on the board when an errant throw on a ground ball to the left side allowed a Golden Bear runner to score from second base, cutting the Peacock lead in half, 2-1.
 
Jacqueline Flood worked her way out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth, when Concordia had back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with one out. But the Peacock pitcher was able to induce weak contact from the next two hitters to get out of the inning.
 
Concordia took the lead in the bottom of the sixth when the first four Golden Bear batters in the inning reached base. The leadoff hitter was hit by a pitch, then came around to score on a double to left center to tie the game, 2-2. Back-to-back singles gave CU another run, with a sacrifice fly closing out the scoring for Concordia, giving them a 4-2 lead.
 
The Peacocks had the top of the order come up in the top of the seventh, but UIU went 1-2-3 to end the game. Flood (9-10) took the loss, going six innings and allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits. She struck out six and didn't walk any Golden Bears.
 
Game 2: Upper Iowa 10, Concordia 4
Flood came back with vengeance in her first at bat in game two, hitting a two-run shot to left in the top of the first. Williams came around to score on the big fly after reaching via error. It was the seventh straight game that the Peacock leadoff hitter had reached base safely on her first at-bat of the game.
 
After Flood's bomb, Erica Kirgan lined a double to the wall in right center and Katie Sammon's followed with another two-run home run down the left field line. Kruel made it four extra-base hits in the first with a double, then closed out the UIU scoring in the inning when she scored on a Golden Bear error on a Sammy Garrett pop up to right.
 
The Peacock nearly added another run in the second. With two outs, Flood singles to right field, then moved to second when Kirgan was hit with a pitch. Sammons roped her second hit of the game up the middle for a single, but the centerfielder was able to scoop the ball cleanly and throw home in time to get Flood at the plate.
 
The Peacock offense got back on track in the third, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a CU error. Whitney Williams came up and cracked a double to the wall in left center, clearing the bases and giving UIU an eight-run lead. After a Flood walk, Kirgan smacked her second double of the game down the left field line, scoring Wililams and UIU led 9-0 after three innings.
 
Concordia got on the board with their own big fly as Jamie Fleischhacker hit a solo home run to left center. The Golden Bears added a couple more runs on Peacock errors, ending the fourth with UIU still in the lead, 9-3.
 
Upper Iowa added a run in the top of the sixth with two runs and a walk to load the bases with one out. Mnichowicz hit a ground ball to the CU second baseman, who fumbled the ball, allowing a run to score and the bases to remain loaded. But the Golden Bears got the next two Peacock hitters to ground out and keep it a seven-run game, 10-3.
 
Concordia led off the sixth with a solo home run and a walk, but pitcher Taylor Bjork was able to work around a hit and an error to hold the Golden Bears to just one run in the inning.
 
After a scoreless top of the seventh, Bjork was able to get Concordia to go quietly in the bottom of the seventh for the complete game win. She improved to 3-2 with the victory, going seven innings, allowing nine hits and four runs, only two of which were earned.