The Upper Iowa University softball team dropped both ends of their NSIC doubleheader against Concordia University, St. Paul on Apr. 6 in Fayette, Iowa. The Peacocks got out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run home run in the first inning, but their comeback effort came up just short in the bottom of the seventh as they had the tying run in scoring position in the final frame before falling 5-4. UIU could not get much going in game two as they fell 8-1 against the Golden Bears.
GAME 1: Concordia, St. Paul 5, Upper Iowa 4
The Peacocks were in great shape through one inning as
Abby McKay struck out the first two Golden Bear batters and sat CSP down in order before a
Kaylee Frenette leadoff single and an
Amanda Williams walk turned a home run from
Payton Kastenschmidt into a 3-0 lead. McKay struck out two more in the second and one in the third as she held Concordia, St. Paul hitless through three.
The Golden Bears got a leadoff double in the top of the fourth and the runner would score an unearned run thanks to an error on the Peacocks to cut the lead to 3-1. Following another McKay strikeout to open the fifth, Concordia, St. Paul tacked on another run thanks to a double and a single to make it 3-2. As the UIU offense continued to be shutout following an impressive start, the CSP offense kept their scoring streak going for the third consecutive inning as they hit a three-run home run of their own to go up 5-3 in the top of the sixth. McKay struck out two more to end the inning and push her total to 10 Ks, but the Peacocks were down to their final six outs and needed to make a comeback.
The Peacocks were unable to do anything with a two-out single from
Samantha Jessie in the bottom of the sixth, but the UIU defense picked up three outs after a leadoff single from CSP in the top of the seventh to set the comeback bar. Needing two runs to tie and three to win, the Peacocks saw leadoff hitter
Kristin Sadler get on base thanks to an error to bring the tying run to the plate and remove the Golden Bear starter from the game. Back-to-back strikeouts from the top of the UIU order pushed the Peacocks to their final out, but a booming double from
Katie Crogan scored pinch runner
Kaitlyn Carlson and cut the deficit to 5-4. Crogan's double missed being a game-tying home run by about a foot and a half as it hit off the top of the outfield fence, but it still put the tying run in scoring position and brought the winning run to the plate. Kastenschmidt was unable to bookend the game with heroics at the plate, striking out to end the Upper Iowa comeback effort and preserve the 5-4 win for Concordia, St. Paul.
GAME 2: Concordia, St. Paul 8, Upper Iowa 1
After a scoreless first inning, the Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second after scoring an unearned run on a passed ball. Concordia, St. Paul tacked on three more runs with two home runs in the top of the third to go up 4-0 over UIU. The Peacocks couldn't get anything out of back-to-back singles in the bottom of the third, and CSP opened the top of the fourth with consecutive singles that moved up on a wild pitch before scoring two off a double to push the lead to 6-0 and knock
Sydney Wilcox out of the game. A bunt and another single welcomed
Abby McKay and put a seventh run on the board for the Golden Bears, but McKay got out of the inning thanks to a foul-out and a strikeout.
The Peacocks put their first two batters on base in the bottom of the fifth as
Samantha Jessie beat out a throw for an infield single ahead of McKay reaching on an error. A pop-out, a fielder's choice to get the lead runner, and a pick-off of McKay at second extinguished the spark of the UIU offense. Concordia, St. Paul doubled and singled in the top of the sixth to push their lead to 8-0 and threaten to end the game early. Upper Iowa, needing to put at least one run on the board to send the game to seven and stave off the run rule, got a leadoff single from
Amanda Williams and then reached on an error to put their first two batters on base. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners before a steal and a walk loaded the bases with one down for the UIU offense. Pinch hitter Katie Carpenter came to the plate and got on board thanks to the second error of the inning on the CSP shortstop as Williams crossed home plate and kept the door open for UIU. Upper Iowa struck out and popped out with the bases loaded to end the sixth inning, but they did just enough to stay alive and send it to the seventh inning.
McKay sat the Golden Bears down in order with two strikeouts and a groundout in the top of the final frame. However, the Peacocks struck out three times in a row to end the game as the fell 8-1 against Concordia, St. Paul.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks hit the road for a pair of NSIC doubleheaders against Southwest Minnesota State University and the University of Sioux Falls. The matchup against SMSU is scheduled for Apr. 10 at 1 p.m. in Marshall, Minn., while the meeting with USF is set for Apr. 11 at 12 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.
