Upper Iowa opened a three-game series with Drury University on Friday afternoon in Springfield, Mo. The Peacocks collected their first win of the season via a 4-2 decision in game one but couldn't generate enough offense in the nightcap as UIU fell 6-1. Upper Iowa now sits at 1-5 overall while Drury improved to 5-4 with one more game in the series set for noon on Saturday.
Jordyn Brennan lead the team with four hits including two of extra-base variety. Four other Peacocks tallied multiple hits on the day, while Katie Crogan drove in two runs to lead the team.
Upper Iowa 4, Drury 2
The Peacocks got their offense rolling out of the gate with two hits and one run scored in the top of the first. Kaylee Frenette earned a leadoff walk, Jordyn Brennan singled to left field, and Ali Green hit an rbi-double to right center for an early 1-0 lead. Drury would get that run back in the bottom half when Tiemann stole home prior to Emily Kisch coaxing three-straight strikeouts to end the frame.
The Panthers took a one-run lead in the third inning with an unearned run, but a two-run double off the bat of Katie Crogan brought Jordyn Brennan and Kaitlyn Carlson home in the fifth for a 3-2 UIU advantage. The Peacocks later added an insurance run in the seventh thanks to a double to left from Brennan that scored Carlson.
Kisch (1-2) tossed a complete game to earn her first victory of the 2020 season. The senior allowed just one earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out six batters.
Drury 6, Upper Iowa 1
The Panthers were the first to score in the nightcap with one run in the bottom of the second following a pair of errors by the visitors. Upper Iowa responded with a run of its own in the next half inning to tie the game at 1-1. Brennan led things off with her second double of the day followed by a single from Green. Samantha Jessie's infield single then loaded the bases for Payton Kastenschmidt who brought Brennan home with a base hit to right field. The Peacocks' scoring was then stalled as the Panthers opted to throw Green out at home on the next play and a strikeout left three stranded.
Drury opened the home half of the third with triple to right field and used that momentum to capture a two-run lead that was later extended to five when the Panthers tacked on three in the fifth. Drury saw 10 of their 11 total hits come between the third, fourth and fifth innings. While the home team's bats thrived, Upper Iowa was limited to just two singles.
Sydney Wilcox (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits in 4.1 innings of work. Abby McKay tossed 1.2 innings and allowed one run on two hits and a walk.
