The Upper Iowa University softball team was victorious in their first game of the Missouri Western Hy-Vee Classic in St. Joseph, Mo. The Peacocks were up 1-0 after one and 3-1 after two innings in their first game against Northwest Missouri, and after getting out of a sixth inning jam they thwarted the Bearcat comeback effort after allowing a run in the bottom of the seventh to secure the 3-2 win. In their second game against #9 Rogers State, Upper Iowa was in a hole early after the Hillcats took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Both teams scored a run in the fifth, and the Peacocks were unable to come back as they fell by a score of 5-1 to finish the day with a split.
Upper Iowa 3, Northwest Missouri 2
The Peacocks got on the board first in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from
Amanda Williams after
Kaylee Frenette reached on an error in UIU's first plate appearance. The Peacocks threatened to add on to their early lead with runners on second and third with two outs but closed out the opening frame with a 1-0 lead. Northwest Missouri evened the score in the top of the second, but Upper Iowa responded in a big way in their half of the second to retake the lead. Pitcher
Abby McKay hit a two-out solo home run for her first of the season to go up 2-1 before Williams pushed Frenette across the plate again with an RBI double to go up 3-1.
McKay was dealing from the circle with a 3-1 lead before getting in a jam in the top of the sixth inning. The Bearcats got runners on first and second with no outs before loading the bases with only one out. The Peacock pitcher got out of the jam with a pop out and a fly out to end the inning and preserve the 3-1 UIU lead. The Peacocks once again needed a defensive hold in the top of the seventh to secure the win. Northwest Missouri struck out to start the inning before putting the tying run on base after two consecutive walks. McKay recorded her 10th strikeout of the game to push the game within one out of being over, but the Bearcats hit an RBI single to put runners on the corners and threaten to tie or take the lead. McKay buckled down one final time and struck out her 11th batter to complete the game and lock down the 3-2 victory for the Peacocks.
#9 Rogers State 5, Upper Iowa 1
Upper Iowa got down early against #9 Rogers State as the Hillcats scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Both teams would play tight defense over the next couple frames before Rogers State tacked on a run in the top of the fifth to push their advantage to 4-0. The Peacocks came up with an answer in their ensuing half-inning as
Sadie Carpenter opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk.
Ari Charles came in to pinch run for Carpenter and advanced to second following a single from
Kaitlyn Carlson to give UIU two on with no outs.
Kaylee Frenette singled in the ensuing at-bat to advance the runners, but Charles was thrown out at the plate as the Peacocks had runners on the corners and one out.
Amanda Williams hit an RBI sacrifice fly to push Carlson across the plate and get UIU on the board as they cut their deficit to 4-1 as the inning ended one batter later. Neither team scored in the sixth, but the Hillcats added a run in the top of the seventh to push their lead back to four runs at 5-1. Rogers State threatened to add more after opening the penultimate half-inning with three consecutive singles, but the Peacocks defense righted the ship and gave their offense a chance. #9 Rogers State put Upper Iowa down in order to close out the game, however, as the UIU dropped the game 5-1 to finish the day with a split.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks are set to play two more games on Sunday, Mar. 21, to wrap up their participation in the Missouri Western Hy-Vee Classic. Upper Iowa will take the field against Missouri Southern State University at 10 a.m. before facing the tournament hosts of Missouri Western State University at 4 p.m. in St. Joseph, Mo.
