SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Peacock softball team traveled west for a pair of doubleheaders to wrap up the week, and earned a split on Thursday against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University. The games were originally scheduled to be played in Marshall, Minn. on Friday, but field conditions from last week's snowstorm pushed the games to Sioux Falls. Upper Iowa held a 7-3 lead in the opening game, but the Mustangs mounted a comeback to steal game one, 9-8. UIU then rebounded in game two, taking advantage of SMSU errors to earn the split. The Peacocks are now 14-10 on the year, and 1-3 in the NSIC.

Upper Iowa will remain in Sioux Falls on Friday, March 30 for a doubleheader with the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls. The twin bill is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. to wrap up the busy opening week in the NSIC.

Game 1: SMSU 9 – UIU 8
The opening game was a wild one, as the Peacocks sent junior Erin Drahozal to the circle. Early on, it appeared as though Upper Iowa would have a great chance at the victory, but a late comeback took place.

UIU hit the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning, and used the long ball to do so. Jordyn Brennan roped her second home run of the season with Katie Crogan on base to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, a passed ball allowed Jenny Budds to come home to push the early lead to 3-0. The run was unearned, and that would be a common theme for SMSU on Thursday.

The Mustangs responded in the bottom of the third inning, matching the Peacocks with a three-run frame to tie it up. A pair of singles off Thompson scored the three runs to even the contest, and the game was re-set heading to the fourth inning. Drahozal changed that.

The junior launched her second homer of the year to help herself and reclaim the lead for UIU, 4-3. An inning later, the Peacocks put up a crooked number to extend the lead to 7-3. Brennan scored on a wild pitch, and Shannon Nix and Budds used run-scoring singles to push the lead out, and it looked as though UIU would be in control. However, the Mustangs had a comeback in them.

In the fifth, SMSU stormed all the way to claim the lead, using a double, a pair of singles, and a sacrifice fly to put up a five-spot. Drahozal went the first three innings in the circle, and was replaced by Thompson in the fourth. In the fifth inning, Thompson exited before getting an out, and was replaced by Drahozal, who re-entered to pitch. Thompson would go on to suffer the loss in the game.

In the sixth inning, SMSU added an all-important run to extend their lead to 9-7 on a fielder's choice. The run loomed large as Nix launched a solo shot in the top of the seventh. The lone run was not enough to send it to extras as the Mustangs held on 9-8.

Budds, Brennan, Nix, Drahozal, and Katie Crogan each logged a pair of hits in the loss.

Game 2: UIU 8 – SMSU 4
The second game Thursday began the same as the first, with the Peacock scoring early. UIU scored one in the second and three in the third to lead 4-0 right away. Nix singled through the left side to drive in Brennan in the second inning, and Crogan launched her team-leading fourth home run of the season in the third frame. Payton Kastenschmidt singled to score Brennan and the lead was 4-0.

Sydney Wilcox got the start in the circle, and did not disappoint. It was the first career start for the freshman, and it ended with a complete-game victory. Wilcox allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits, and added four strikeouts to her total. Her defense did make three errors in the field, and on the other side, SMSU's four errors loomed large in game two as well.

In the fourth inning, Upper Iowa took advantage of those mistakes. With two on, Crogan would reach on an error by the Mustang shortstop, and Budds scored because of it. Later in the inning, Ali Green would reach on another error at short, and Crogan and Sami Kay Shafranski would both score to push the Peacock lead to 7-0. Southwest Minnesota State would not have a comeback in them this time.

???????SMSU got on the board in the fourth, but UIU got that run right back in the fifth frame. Another error in the field, this time at third base, allowed Budds to score to give the visitors an 8-1 lead. SMSU would add three runs in the fifth and sixth inning, but Wilcox and the Peacocks shut down the Mustangs in the seventh inning to earn the split.
Brennan tallied a pair of hits in game two, and in total, eight Peacocks tallied hits in the finale.