The Upper Iowa University softball closed their time at the Missouri Western Hy-Vee Classic with losses against Missouri Southern State University and Missouri Western State University. UIU's first game against the MSSU Lions was a back-and-forth affair as the Peacocks saw an early lead turn into a late deficit before rallying to tie the game in the seventh inning. Upper Iowa score four runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game and send it to extra innings, but fell after a walk-off hit gave Missouri Southern a 10-9 win. In game two against Missouri Western, the Peacocks were unable to get anything going against their tournament hosts as they only put two runners on base and finished their day with a 4-0 loss against the Griffons. UIU closes their non-conference schedule with a 4-9 record and will begin their NSIC schedule on Mar. 30.
Missouri Southern 10, Upper Iowa 9 (8 inn.)
Upper Iowa took a 2-0 lead in the third thanks to a two-run home run by
Amanda Williams that scored
Kaylee Frenette and put the first runs on the board.
Katie Crogan hit a double in the ensuing at-bat to keep the Peacock momentum rolling and
Sydney Wilcox reached on an error to give UIU two runners on with only one out. A groundout by
Aubree Terris advanced the runners and gave
Payton Kastenschmidt the chance to send Crogan home with an RBI to give the Peacocks a 3-0 lead. Missouri Southern cut into the Peacock lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Upper Iowa answered with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth. Williams and Crogan opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Wilcox advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
Alli Schaffer came in to pinch hit in the next at-bat and immediately came through with a two-RBI double to push the Peacock lead to 5-2.
The Lions offense came alive in their ensuing half of the fifth as they scored five runs to flip the script and take a 7-5 lead over the Peacocks. The MSSU offense continued to tack on runs their next time out with two more in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 9-5 going into the final inning of regulation. Needing a rally to stay alive, Upper Iowa got singles from Crogan and Terris in two of their first three at-bats to put two on with one out. Kastenschmidt came through in a big way in the next at-bat with an RBI double to cut the UIU deficit to 9-7 and bring the tying run to the plate.
Samantha Jessie came in as a pinch hitter and hit a single to advance Kastenschmidt before reaching second on the throw.
Abby McKay laid down a bunt to get score Kastenschmidt and move the tying run to third. Jessie subsequently tied the game in dramatic fashion by successfully stealing home to knot the score at 9-9 in the top of the seventh. The Peacock defense held the Lions scoreless in the final frame of regulation to send the game to extra innings, but Missouri Southern scored in the bottom of the eighth to secure the 10-9 walk-off win in extras.
Missouri Western 4, Upper Iowa 0
The Peacocks were unable to get anything going on offense in their second and final game of the day against tournament-hist Missouri Western. UIU only had two baserunners as
Amanda Williams and
Katie Crogan picked up singles and record the team's only hits in the contest. The Upper Iowa defense did well to hold the Griffons to just four runs in the game after allowing one run in the first and two in the second. Peacock pitcher
Sydney Wilcox pitched all six UIU innings and only gave up three earned runs, but Missouri Western claimed the 4-0 victory.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks move into conference play and are scheduled to open their NSIC action with a home double-header against Winona State University on Mar. 30. Game one is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. as UIU is set to host the Warriors at Eischeid Softball Complex in Fayette, Iowa.
