Upper Iowa split a Northern Sun Conference double header in Fayette on Friday with the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls. After being held to 2 runs, which came in the final inning, and 4 hits in game one, the Peacock bats came alive in game two scoring 8 runs on 11 hits. With the split, UIU moves to 12-13 overall and 4-6 in the NSIC, while USF is now 15-16 overall and 5-5 in the conference.
Upper Iowa will return to the Eischeid Softball Complex on Saturday for a pair of NSIC games against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Game One: Sioux Falls 3 - Upper Iowa 2
The Cougars scored the game's first run in the third inning when Emmie Uitts hit a home run down the lef field line in the top of the third inning. In the fifth, Sioux Falls added a pair of runs in the fifth inning highlighted by a leadoff homer by Ashley Meyer down the right field line. After a pair of hit batters and a sac bunt, Lindsay Mossman nearly had a three-run shot, but UIU's
Jenny Budds pulled in the fly ball at the top of the fence to allowing only one run to score on the sac fly.
Upper Iowa entered the seventh inning with just three baserunners after a pair of hits and a walk off USF's Kerrigan Hoshaw. The Peacocks got runners on first and second on a walk to
Julia Buffington and a second straight single from
Michaela Schumacher. A ground out moved both runners into scoring position with two outs and
Erin Drahozal drove in the pair of Peacocks with a single to pull UIU within one, 3-2. With the tying run on second,
Jenny Budds hit a line drive down the right field line, but a perfectly placed Nieveen at first made the catch before the ball could find grass.
Hoshaw (6-6) earned the win with seven innings of work allowing the two runs on just four hits while striking out a pair of Peacocks.
Emily Kisch (7-5) suffered the tough loss surrendering three runs on four hits in her seven innings while also striking out two Cougars.
Game Two: Upper Iowa 8 - Sioux Falls 5
Upper Iowa loaded the bases in the first inning after a pair of singles surrounded a hit batter with one out. After a shallow fly, Schumacher singled past the first baseman to drive in two runs and give the home team an early 2-0 lead.
The Peacocks opened the game up in the third inning with four runs thanks to three home runs including back-to-back shots by
Katie Crogan and
Julia Buffington.
Jordyn Brennan scored on Crogan's homer after reaching on an error. Following a pair of outs for the Cougars, Drahozal homered to center field pushing UIU's lead to 6-0.
Sioux Falls was able to scratch a pair of unearned runs on the scoreboard in the fourth inning. The Cougars used a single, a hit batter and a passed ball to put a pair of runners in scoring position. USF got a run with a sac fly from Emily Miller and one more scored on a fielding error at third base to cut the margin to 6-2.
A pair of leadoff walks came around to score in the top of the fifth for the Cougars after three singles pushed the pair home and loaded the bases with one out. A double play from home to first ended the threat and kept Upper Iowa ahead 6-4.
Upper Iowa answered the two runs with a pair of their own to add insurance in the bottom of the fifth to get back ahead, 8-4. A single from Buffington and a misplay on the infield left the Peacocks with runners on the corners. After a groundball back to the pitcher put runners on second and third, Drahozal sent both Peacocks to the plate with a single racking up her fourth and fifth runs batted in on the day.
The Cougars got one run back in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate with runners on the corners, but Drahozal induced a ground ball to third to end the threat and give UIU the 8-5 victory.
Jaclyn Thompson (1-4) earned the win allowing two unearned runs in her four innings while posting three strikeouts and scattering three hits.
Sydney Wilcox threw an inning surrendering two runs on two hits and two walks, while Drahozal threw two innings and gave up one run on one hit.
Courtney Matthews (6-7) took the loss after two innings in the circle; she allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits. Kaitlyn Van Der Zwagg threw four innings in relief and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits.
Kaylee Frenette picked up three hits, while Crogan, Buffington and Drahozal all had two hits in the second game.
