The Upper Iowa University softball team saw its first game against Midwestern State University Texas canceled due to inclement weather, but were able to play their second game against Drury University. The UIU rematch against the invitational-hosting Panthers was nearly identical to their first meeting of the weekend, as Drury was again able to put the game away thanks to some late-inning offense in a 14-5 win that went six innings due to run rule. Upper Iowa finishes their time in Springfield, Mo. with a 3-2 record in the Drury Invitational, and the team holds a 3-6 record on the season thus far.
 

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Drury 14, Upper Iowa 5

The Peacock offense came out strong in the top of the first inning as Kaylee Frenette hit a leadoff single that was immediately followed by a double from Amanda Williams to give UIU two runners in scoring position with no outs. The Panther defense got out of a jam, however, as they retired the next three Peacock batters to get out of the inning. The Drury half of the first inning started in a similar way to the top of the first as the Panthers hit two doubles in their first two at-bats, but they turned those hits into a 1-0 lead. Drury put their next runner on before getting an RBI off of a SAC fly, and the Panthers capitalized on another first-inning double to secure a 3-0 lead after one.

Upper Iowa came up with an immediate answer in the top of the second as they looked to come back from their early deficit. Sara Jessie reached on an error to give UIU its first baserunner of the inning before Emily Draeger hit a single in the next at-bat to put two on with only one out. After a second out, Frenette was up to bat and sent a double into left field that brought the Peacocks within one at 3-2 before recording the third out on the bases. UIU sat the Panther batters down in order in the bottom of the second inning to stay within one run after two strikeouts from pitcher Abby McKay.

The Peacocks looked to be in for a similar fate in the top of the third inning as their first two batters struck out and the offense was looking at two outs with nobody on. Sydney Wilcox stepped up for UIU and gave the offense some life with a solo homerun from the cleanup spot to tie the score at 3-3. Upper Iowa used this momentum to get some offense churning as Payton Kastenschmidt and Samantha Jessie hit back-to-back two-out singles before Sara Jessie reached on an error yet again to load the bases. Draeger hit a two-RBI single in the ensuing at-bat to give the Peacocks a 5-3 lead in the top of the third. The Drury offense was ready with an answer of their own as they came to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. The Panthers hit a leadoff single before grounding out to give them one on and one out, but they put their next four runners on in a myriad of ways and knocked McKay out of the game. Abby Buckman came on and limited the damage by recording two strikeouts, but she also allowed a walk and a triple as Drury scored six of the first eight batters in the inning and took a 9-5 lead after three. 

The UIU offense went down in order in the fourth and fifth innings, and the score stayed the same through through the top of the fifth. The Peacock defense sat down the first two Drury batters in the bottom of the fifth, but the next two batters reached following a walk and an error. With two on and two out, the Panthers hit a two-RBI double to take an 11-5 lead and knock Buckman off the mound. Sadie Carpenter came in and walked her first batter to load the bases, and the Panthers capitalized on another RBI double to take a 12-5 lead before Carpenter struck out the next batter to end the fifth inning. 

Sara Jessie reached safely for the third time in as many appearances to lead off the top of the sixth with a single. Draeger reached on a fielder's choice that led to the first UIU out, but the Peacocks put their second runner on with two outs just two batters later thanks to a single from Frenette. Upper Iowa stranded their two runners in what would be their finals inning on offense. Drury faced another new pitcher as Wilcox took the mound in the bottom of the sixth. She retired the first Panther batter, but Drury reached on a fielding error in their second at-bat. Wilcox recorded another out to get the UIU defense within one out of coming to the plate in the seventh, but the Panthers hit a two-run homerun in their next at-bat to give them a 14-5 lead and end the game in the sixth inning due to run rule.
 

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UP NEXT... The Peacocks get a week off before heading back to Missouri for another weekend tournament. UIU will play four games as part of the Missouri Western Hy-Vee Classic on Mar. 19 and 20. The squad is scheduled to face the University of Central Missouri at 12 p.m. and the University of Central Oklahoma at 4 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 19, with matchups against Emporia State University at 12 p.m. and Northwest Missouri State University at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 19, in St. Joseph, Mo.