The Upper Iowa University softball team split their doubleheader against the University of Minnesota Crookston in Fayette.
Abby McKay picked up the complete-game win in game one as UIU won 4-1, and she pitched four scoreless innings of relief in game two to rack up 20 strikeouts in 11 innings of action on the day. The Upper Iowa offense could not get much going against the Golden Eagles in the second game as they fell by a score of 3-0 to split the series.
GAME 1: Upper Iowa 4, Minn. Crookston 1
Both teams went hitless through the first two and a half innings of action to open the game. The Peacocks changed that with a leadoff single and a two-out single in the bottom of the third inning, but the score stayed 0-0 through the first three frames.
The UIU defense looked like they would continue the scoreless streak after recording two quick outs in the top of the fourth, but Minnesota Crookston got on with a hit-by-pitch, stole a base, and then walked ahead of a two-out, RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.
Abby McKay stranded two runners with an inning-ending strikeout, but the Peacocks were looking at a deficit headed to the bottom of the fourth.
Looking to come up with an answer to the Golden Eagle run, the Peacocks started strong with a leadoff double from
Payton Kastenschmidt.
Ari Charles came on to pinch run, and she got to third with two outs after a line out and a ground out put two Peacocks down with one on.
Emily Draeger came up with a big RBI single to score Charles and knot the score at one run apiece through four.
Each team left a runner on in the fifth frame, but the score stayed 1-1 heading into the sixth inning. McKay struck out two Golden Eagle batters to record her ninth and tenth Ks of the contest in the top of the sixth, and the UIU offense came out swinging in the bottom of the sixth as they looked to go ahead late. Kastenschmidt led off the inning with a single,
Katie Crogan laced a double down the left field line, and
Sydney Wilcox pushed them both across the plate with a two-RBI double down the right field line to put the Peacocks up 3-1. The double knocked the Crookston starter from the game, and after popping out in the first at-bat against the new pitcher the Peacocks got back-to-back singles from
Samantha Jessie and McKay to take a 4-1 lead thanks to the bat of the Peacock pitcher. UIU struck out and walked in the next two at-bats to load the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning and sent it to the seventh.
McKay struck out the first Minn. Crookston batter before the Golden Eagles showed signs of life with a pinch-hit double to put the tying run on deck. McKay worked a fly out and recorded her 12th strikeout to end the Crookston comeback effort and clinch the 4-1 win for UIU.
GAME 2: Minn. Crookston 3, Upper Iowa 0
In game two, the Golden Eagles started strong with back-to-back singles to put the first two runners on base. Looking for a third consecutive hit,
Amanda Williams made a fantastic diving grab on a ball lined toward the right side of the infield to steal a base hit. Williams flipped it over to
Kaylee Frenette at second for the double play, and Frenette fired the ball to
Katie Crogan at first to beat the runner's diving attempt to get back to the back and turn the first triple play of the season for the Peacocks to end the inning.
Minn. Crookston came up swinging again in the top of the second as they hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a UIU error from right field. A groundout advanced the runner to third, and an RBI single in the ensuing at-bat gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Aubree Terris threw out the Crookston runner as they were caught stealing, but a walk, a single, and a batter reaching first after a strikeout thanks to a wild pitch from
Sydney Wilcox loaded the bases with two down. Wilcox got out of the jam with a groundout right back to her in the pitcher's circle to end the inning.
Crogan smashed a leadoff double in the bottom of the second and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt from Wilcox, but consecutive swinging strikeouts stranded Crogan and ended the inning. Wilcox sat the Golden Eagles down in order in the top of the third, and the Peacocks had runners on first and second with one out following a hit-by-pitch, a fielder's choice, and a single from Frenette to open their half of the third frame. UIU suffered back-to-back strikeouts for the second time in as many innings to strand two and end the third.
The Golden Eagles opened the fourth frame with a single and a two-run home run to straightaway center field to take a 3-0 lead. A double and a walk in the next two at-bats marked the end of Wilcox's outing, and
Abby McKay came on in relief after a stellar first game. McKay got a pop out and a strikeout before walking a batter to load the bases, but she got out of the jam with another strikeout to end the inning.
McKay struck out and stranded two Crookston batters in the top of the fifth, and UIU could not convert a leadoff single from
Sadie Carpenter and a two-out single from Frenette into any runs as they stranded two runners of their own. McKay struck out two more and stranded one in the sixth, but the Peacocks were once again unable to turn a leadoff single, this time from
Payton Kastenschmidt, into any runs.
McKay struck out two and stranded two Golden Eagles yet again in the top of the seventh as she pitched four shutout innings of relief and racked up eight strikeouts to bring her total to 20 Ks on the day. Needing to rally in the bottom of the seventh, Carpenter hit a leadoff double to left center to spark the Peacock comeback effort. UIU lined into a double play in the ensuing at-bat before a groundout ended the game and saw Minnesota Crookston win 3-0.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks will play their second NSIC doubleheader of the weekend at Eischeid Softball Complex against Bemidji State University on Apr. 18. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12 p.m., and UIU will honor its graduates between its pair of home games in Fayette, Iowa.
