The Upper Iowa softball team (11-7) made it eight straight wins when they swept Wilmington University (1-0) and Pittsburgh-Johnstown (3-0) on Tuesday at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. Senior pitchers Brooke Redmond and Jacqueline Flood each picked up complete game shutouts in the victories. 

In the one-run win over Wilmington, senior Lauren Marlinghaus scored the only run on a second inning solo home run, her fourth of the year. Against Pitt-Johnstown, junior Tara Walls hit her first career home run to give the Peacocks a security run in the bottom of the sixth on their way to the three run win. 

UIU will take on Slippery Rock, who they defeated 7-2 on Monday, and Pitt-Johnstown, who they beat 3-0 today, when they return to action in Florida on Thursday. The first game against SRU will begin at 3 p.m., followed by the meeting with UPJ at 5 p.m.

Game 1: UIU 1, WU 0

The Peacocks made it seven in a row with a 1-0 thrilling victory over the Wildcats of Wilmington University. Senior Lauren Marlinghaus hit a solo home run, her fourth of the year to lead UIU, and Redmond (7-2) had one of the best starts of her career, throwing a complete game shutout and allowed just two hits to go with a career-high 12 strikeouts.
 
Marlinghaus came up in the top of the second inning with one out and no one on when she hit her fourth home run of the year. It was the first hit of the game for either team and the only one that would bring a run home all game.
 
The Wildcats got their first hit in the bottom half of the second, but Redmond took control as she sat down the next 11 WU batters in order. Wilmington finally had a batter reach base on a single with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The runner stole second, but was stranded there. It was the only time in the game that a Wildcat runner touched second base.
 
UIU loaded the bases in the top of the sixth as Flood doubled to right center, senior Erica Kirgan walked, and junior Tara Walls singled. That brought up Marlinghaus, but she lined into a double play to end the Peacock threat.
 
Redmond sent the final six Wildcat batters back to dugout in order to finish off the game, picking up four strikeouts in the final six hitters. Her 12 strikeouts in the game marked a new career-high, while the righty allowed just two hits and walked none.
 
Game 2: UIU 3, UPJ 0

Upper Iowa picked up their eighth consecutive win with a 3-0 win over the Mountain Cats of Pittsbugh-Johnstown. Junior Tara Walls hit her first home run for the Peacocks, while Flood (4-4) was the complete game winner in game two.

The Peacocks finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third when sophomore Sammy Garrett doubled to center, then scored on a junior Riley Kruel triple to left center. Two batters later, Kruel scored as Flood reached on an error.

In the bottom of the sixth, Walls hit her first home run as a Peacock to add an insurance run to put UIU up 3-0.

Flood threw all seven innings for UIU to even her season record at 4-4. The Mt. Vernon, Ill. native allowed just five hits while striking out five.