The Peacock softball team dropped both sides of their NSIC doubleheader to the hard-hitting University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. The Peacocks tallied up 10 hits in the opener but were never able to recover from an early deficit to eventually fall 11-4. UMD then shut out the Peacocks for just the third time this season with a 8-0 win in the nightcap. The Bulldogs improved to 26-17 (17-8 NSIC) with the sweep while the Peacocks fell to 21-18 (13-11 NSIC).
Jenny Budds led the team with three hits and an RBI while Jordyn Brennan, Katie Crogan and Julia Buffington all had two hits apiece.
Sydney Wilcox worked in relief in both games and struck out 13 batters on the afternoon. The sophomore turned away nine batters in the second game, a season-high game total for the Peacock pitching crew.
The Peacocks will hit the road one last time for a meeting with the No. 17 Augustana University Vikings in their final mid-week matchup of the season. First pitch is set for 3 pm in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Game One: Minnesota Duluth 11, Upper Iowa 4
The Bulldogs came out of the gate early to tag UIU starter Emily Kisch with five runs in the first two innings of the opener fueled by back-to-back solo shots in the first and a three-run homer in the second.
After a scoreless third frame, the teams exchanged four runs in the fourth. The Bulldogs' runs came courtesy of four straight hits including a pair of doubles with one out recorded in the top of the inning. Upper Iowa battled back by loading the bases for Buffington who brought home the Peacocks' first run with a single up the middle. Budds, Kaylee Frenette and Sami Kay Shafranski followed and drove in the other three runs thanks to two singles and an rbi-fielder's choice.
Minnesota Duluth pushed their lead to 11-4 in the fifth with Jessica Bren's third home run of the game, giving her seven runs batted in in four at bats. The Peacocks put four more runners on in the final three innings but never got past second base as the Bulldogs shut the door for a 11-4 win.
Kisch (11-7) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings of work. Erin Drahozal entered the circle in the third inning and allowed six more runs on five hits and four walks in her 3.0 innings. Wilcox then closed the game out for the Peacocks in the final innings and struck out four batters while keeping the Bulldogs off the board.
Sami Pederson tossed a complete game for her 14th win of the season. She allowed just four runs on 10 hits, walked three and struck out one Peacock.
Game Two: Minnesota Duluth 8, Upper Iowa 0 (6 Inn.)
The Bulldogs scratched the scoreboard early again in game two with seven runs before the Peacocks even had a chance to bat. UIU starter Jaclyn Thompson saw 12 batters in the top of the first as UMD's strong hitting could not be stopped. The Bulldogs registered six of their eight totals hits in the opening inning with all but two batters in the order rounding home.
Wilcox entered the game and was able to settle the Bulldogs down in the second frame. The sophomore continued the same trickery from game one to record her sixth scoreless inning of the day before Bren smashed another shot over the left field fence to give UMD an 8-run advantage with no outs. Wilcox continued to dominate from the circle and recorded her 12th and 13th strikeouts of the day to end the inning without any more damage. The Peacocks weren't able to knock a run in during the home half, though, to fall 8-0 in a run-rule contest.
Thompson (4-6) received the loss after a tough first inning before Wilcox came in as a relief pitcher for the second time on the afternoon. She gave up just one run on a solo home run in her 5.0 innings and struck out nine batters.
Breanna Swint (12-10) gave the Peacocks their third shutout loss of the season and limited the home team to just a pair of hits through the game while striking out four batters for the win.
