Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Peacock softball team earned a split on day two of the 8-State Classic in Bentonville, Ark., with a game one loss to Northwest Missouri State, followed by a 3-1 win over Illinois Springfield in the night cap.
 
Sophomore Sammy Garrett and senior Erica Kirgan had three hits on the day to lead UIU. Garrett hit the team's first home run of the 2016 season in the loss, while Kirgan had an RBI triple in the win. Senior Brooke Redmond picked up her second win of the season in the circle in the game two victory, surrendering just one run on two hits in seven innings.
 
The Peacocks games on Sunday against Truman State and Ouachita Baptist have been cancelled due to poor weather conditions in Arkansas. Upper Iowa returns to tournament play next weekend, when they will take part in the NSIC/MIAA Challenge in Rochester, Minn. UIU will play four games over the weekend, starting with Pitt State at 11 a.m. on Feb. 19.
 
Game One || Northwest Missouri State 7, Upper Iowa 4

The Bearcats struck first with an opening inning home run. The Peacocks responded when senior Tara Duran singled to center, scoring freshman Jenny Budds.
 
Budds was the one bringing in runners in the second inning when the freshman outfielder hit a two-RBI double to left center that scored Garrett and junior Tara Walls, and gave Upper Iowa a 3-1 lead.  
 
Northwest Missouri tied the game at 3-3 with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third inning, only to have Garrett's home run give UIU the lead heading to the final inning.
 
The Bearcats rallied in the top of the seventh for four runs on four hits, including a pair of home runs, to go ahead 7-4. The Peacocks went down in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.
 
Kirgan and Garrett each had a pair of hits in the game, while Budds had a couple RBI to lead UIU. Senior Jacqueline Flood took the loss, giving up seven runs–five earned, over 6.1 innings while striking out three and walking one.
 
Game Two || Upper Iowa 3, Illinois Springfield 1

Upper Iowa jumped out to a three-run lead in the first inning against the Prarie Stars. Flood walked then scored on a Kirgan triple to right field for the first run, followed by Duran and junior Katie Sammons picking up a couple RBI.
 
Illinois Springfield got on the board with a solo home run in the third inning, but that was all Redmond (2-0) would give up on the day. The senior pitcher struck out nine UIS batters, including a 1-2-3 inning with three strike outs in the sixth.
 
Sammons and Duran each had two hits in game as the UIU outhit UIS 5-2.