The Peacock softball team finished their non-conference schedule on Saturday and Sunday, March 17-18, at the modified HyVee Softball Classic in Maryville and St. Joseph, Mo., hosted by both Northwest Missouri State University and Missouri Western State University. After splitting the first two games in Maryville on Saturday, Upper Iowa was swept in St. Joseph on Sunday to fall to 1-3 at the tournament. Through their first 20 games, the Peacocks are 13-7 as conference play approaches.
UIU will open up the Northern Sun Conference and home schedule on Tuesday, March 27 against the No. 7 Warriors of Winona State University at the Eischeid Softball Complex in Fayette. The doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m, and will be aired live in eastern Iowa on KCRG TV 9.2.
Saturday Game 1: NMSU 8 - UIU 0 (5 Inn.)
In a run-shortened five-inning game, the Peacocks were on the wrong end of an 8-0 affair on Saturday against the host Northwest Missouri State. UIU starter
Emily Kisch was knocked out after 1.1 innings of work in the circle, allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits.
Sydney Wilcox entered in relief, and pitched the final 3.0 innings, allotting four runs (three earned) on five hits.
Northwest Missouri State scored once in the bottom of the first inning, and then opened up a 4-0 lead with a three-run second frame. Two runs in each of the final two innings ended the game in five, with Upper Iowa being shut out for the third time this season.
Saturday Game 2: UIU 13 - UCM 4 (5 Inn.)
It was another run-shortened game Saturday, but this time the Peacocks were on the correct end of a 13-4 decision against the Jennies of the University of Central Missouri.
Jaclyn Thompson got the start in game two, but did not record an out in the first inning, and allowed two runs on a hit before being replaced by
Erin Drahozal. Drahozal then took over and got the win iin the circle,
Upper Iowa scored four runs in the top of the first inning to get their offense off to a good start.
Ali Green reached on an error to score
Jenny Budds, and
Payton Kastenschmidt followed it up with an rbi-groundout to push the lead to 2-0.
Jordyn Brennan then stepped up with a two-run single to extend the lead to 4-0. Central Missouri answered with two runs in the home half of the inning to cut the UIU lead in half, 4-2.
UIU answered back in the second with a run scoring on a steal attempt at second base.
Sami Kay Shafranski was caught stealing at second base, but Budds came home to score on the play to push the lead to 5-2.
Shannon Nix extended the lead again in the third inning with sacrifice fly to left field, and the Peacocks commanded a 6-2 lead.
The fourth inning was the difference for Upper Iowa. Leading 6-3, the Peacocks pushed across seven runs to dominate the game 13-3. Budds scored again, this time on a wild pitch, and
Julia Buffington followed it up with a run-scoring single.
Katie Crogan then roped a two-run home run, and
Shannon Nix and
Sydney Wilcox each picked up rbi-singles as well in a big inning.
A run in the bottom of the fourth ended the scoring, with the Peacocks leading 13-4, and Drahozal slammed the door shut to end the game in five innings.
Sunday Game 1: MWSU 6 - UIU 3
The Peacocks finally played a full seven-inning game on Sunday in St. Joseph, and fell to the host Griffons of Missouri Western State University. Upper Iowa struck first in the third inning, taking a 2-0 lead on a Buffington double and an rbi-fielder's choice by Green. The Griffons, however, struck back in their half of the inning, scoring four times against
Jaclyn Thompson.
Thompson suffered the loss, surrendering six runs on eight hits while striking out five batters. Missouri Western State added two runs in the fourth inning to lead 6-2, and the Peacocks would score just one more time before falling 6-3.
Sunday Game 2: WU 2 - UIU 1
Upper Iowa trailed 2-0 late in the final game of the HyVee Classic to the Ichabods of Washburn University, and needed a comeback in the final frame to complete the comeback. However, that comeback fell just shy as the Peacocks scored just once in the final frame to fall 2-1. Kisch suffered the loss for the Peacocks, pitching seven strong innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits while striking out six batters.
An rbi-single in the third inning opened the scoring for the Ichabods, and a solo home run in the sixth extended the lead. Upper Iowa was held to just five hits in the loss, but did push across a run in the seventh frame. An rbi-ground out from Shafranski gave UIU a chance, but Buffington then flew out to end the game.
