The Upper Iowa University softball team fell in both games of their NSIC doubleheader against Southwest Minnesota State University on Apr. 10. The Peacocks got out to an early 3-0 lead in game one thanks to a three-run home run in the second inning, but three runs in the fifth and a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh gave the Mustangs the 4-3 win. UIU could not muster much offense in game two as they fell by a score of 4-0. Upper Iowa falls to a record of 6-17 (2-8 NSIC) while SMSU improves to 16-6 (7-1 NSIC) on the year.
GAME 1: SMSU 4, Upper Iowa 3
The Peacocks pulled ahead early with a three-run home run off the bat of
Kristin Sadler in the top of the second inning. Sadler's shot scored
Payton Kastenschmidt and
Sydney Wilcox after they opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Kastenschmidt and Wilcox also opened the fourth inning with consecutive singles, but the Peacocks were unable to push either of them across the plate the second time around.
Abby McKay withstood a leadoff triple from SMSU in the bottom of the second and was rolling through 4 2/3 innings in the circle. After a strikeout and a groundout opened the fourth frame, the Mustangs went double, run-scoring single with a UIU error, and two-run home run in their next three at-bats to knot the score at three runs apiece.
Looking for an answer in the top of the sixth,
Samantha Jessie hit a one-out single for UIU and advanced on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position. UIU struck out in the next at-bat, but then
Aubree Terris reached on an error to keep the inning alive.
Kaitlyn Carlson earned a walk to load the bases full of Peacocks with two down and bring up the top of the Upper Iowa order, but the Peacocks grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
McKay struck out two and sat SMSU down in order in the bottom of the sixth, but UIU was unable to take the lead in the top of the seventh as their two, three, and four hitters went down one, two, three. The Mustangs led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and followed it with a double to put runners two runners in scoring position with nobody out. SMSU took advantage with a sacrifice fly in the ensuing at-bat to claim a 4-3 win in walk-off fashion.
GAME 2: SMSU 3, Upper Iowa 0
Upper Iowa was out-hitting SMSU three to one through the top of the third inning, but the scoreboard was empty through the first half of the game. That changed in the bottom of the third as the Mustangs hit a two-out double and advanced on a wild pitch before an RBI single gave them a 1-0 lead.
The Peacocks went down in order to open the fourth frame, and SMSU kept their momentum going with three singles to score another run before securing a steal of home to take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Upper Iowa attempted to mount a comeback as they put two runners on in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Mustangs bucked the comeback effort to hold on and win 3-0 in game two.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks are set to play an NSIC doubleheader against the University of Sioux Falls on Apr. 11. The matchup against USF is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start in Sioux Falls, S.D.
