The Upper Iowa University softball team fell to Minot State University in both halves of their final road doubleheader of the season. The Peacocks fell by a score of 11-3 in a first game that went five innings due to run rule as Minot scored eight straight runs and the Peacocks could not close the gap enough to extend the game. In game two, UIU went up 4-1 after a three-run home run in the third and held a lead through the top of the fifth inning. The Beavers mounted a comeback with seven unanswered runs, and the Peacocks were unable to retake control as they left the tying run at the plate in the top of the seventh.
GAME 1: Minot State 11, Upper Iowa 3 (5 Inn.)
The Beavers got on the board first thanks to consecutive singles in the bottom of the first and a successful double steal that put two Minot runners in scoring position with no outs. A sacrifice fly scored the first run of the game, and a two-run home run in the next at-bat opened up a 3-0 lead for the Beavers.
The Peacocks looked to answer quickly as they got a leadoff double from
Payton Kastenschmidt in the top of the second.
Samantha Jessie picked up an RBI with a ground out that scored the first UIU run and cut their deficit to 3-1.
Minot State hit back-to-back singles that sandwiched a stolen base to open the bottom of the second inning. A successful steal of home tacked on a fourth Beaver run and brought the lead back to three at 4-1. After an out, Minot notched a bunt single that saw a run score and the runner get all the way to third thanks to a UIU error. A single in the ensuing at-bat made it a 6-1 ball game, and another single and a passed ball gave the Beavers two runners in scoring position with one out. Minot hit a sacrifice fly to push their lead to 7-1 before flying out to end the inning.
A one-out double got Minot going in the bottom of the third, and a ground out and a single in the following at-bats extended the lead to 8-1 with two outs. Three consecutive two-out singles scored three more runs to make it an 11-1 game and knocked
Abby McKay from the pitching circle in the third.
Abby Buckman allowed a single to her first batter, but she picked up the final out without allowing any more damage to be done.
Needing to get their offense going, the Peacocks got a leadoff double from
Katie Crogan to open the fourth frame.
Sydney Wilcox hit a one-out RBI-double to cut the UIU deficit to 11-2, and an RBI-triple from
Emily Draeger in the next at-bat made it an 11-3 ball game. Upper Iowa stranded Draeger on third and was unable to cut the lead under eight as they were still in danger of having a shortened game due to run rule.
The Beavers went down in order in the bottom of the fourth, and the Peacocks got a runner on with one out after
Kaylee Frenette reached on an error. Needing to score a run to extend the game, UIU struck out and flied out to clinch an 11-3 win for Minot State in a game that went five innings due to run rule.
GAME 2: Minot State 10, Upper Iowa 7
Upper Iowa opened the top of the second inning by reaching on an error to put the leadoff runner on base. A fielder's choice followed by consecutive walks loaded the bases full of Peacocks, and another fielder's choice in the ensuing at-bat saw the Beavers make the force play at home to leave the bases loaded with two outs.
Kaylee Frenette was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat as she earned an RBI and gave UIU a 1-0 lead while scoring
Samantha Jessie with an unearned run. The Peacocks left the bases loaded as they lined out in the next at-bat, ending the inning with a lead despite not recording a hit.
Minot State led off the bottom of the second with a single, and after advancing on a wild pitch and a ground out they had a runner on third with one out. The Beavers knotted the score at 1-1 thanks to an RBI fielder's choice in the next at-bat as the runner was safe despite a throw to the plate. An error from UIU moved the Minot runner into scoring position, but Peacock pitcher
Sydney Wilcox drew a line out and a ground out to end the inning.
Katie Crogan and
Payton Kastenschmidt led off the top of the third inning with back-to-back singles, and Wilcox provided herself with some run support as she smashed a three-run home run to center field to open up a 4-1 UIU lead. A one-out single from Jessie and a second walk from
Aubree Terris put two on with one out, but the Peacocks stranded two and took their three-run lead to the bottom of the third.
The Beavers hit a leadoff double and had two runners in scoring position with one out after reaching on an error. The next batter reached on a fielder's choice as she laid down a bunt and scored a run to cut the score to 4-2. Minot had two runners in scoring position once again after advancing on a wild pitch, and third fielder's choice RBI in which the Peacocks were unable to throw out the runner made it a 4-3 game. A double steal and a single loaded the bases with one out, but the UIU defense picked up a force out at home and a ground out to end the inning after giving up a pair of unearned runs.
Amanda Williams hit a leadoff triple in the top of the fourth frame, but she was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice and the Peacocks ended the inning without adding to their lead. In the Minot half of the fourth, the Beavers stranded a leadoff single on third base after three consecutive ground outs.
Emily Draeger led off the fifth inning with a single ahead of a hit-by-pitch that put
Samantha Jessie on base. The pair of Peacocks advanced on a wild pitch, and an RBI-single from Terris in the ensuing at-bat pushed the UIU lead to 5-3 and knocked the Beaver pitcher from the circle. With two on and no outs,
Kristin Sadler picked up a pinch-hit RBI with a ground out that scored Jessie and made it 6-3 before back-to-back fly outs ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Beavers hit four consecutive singles with the last one scoring two runs to cut the UIU lead to 6-5 and knock Wilcox from the circle. A fielder's choice in the next at-bat advanced the runners, and a fifth single scored two more runs to give Minot State a 7-6 lead before the end of the inning.
The Peacocks stranded Crogan after a leadoff single in the top of the sixth, and things were looking good for relief pitcher
Abby Buckman after two quick outs in the bottom of the sixth. However, the Beavers strung together back-to-back-to-back doubles as they scored a pair of runs and extended their lead to 9-6. Buckman was relieved by
Abby McKay, and Minot welcomed the new Peacock pitcher with an RBI single that pushed the lead to 10-6. McKay plunked a Beaver batter to put two on before ending the inning with a strikeout.
Needing to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh inning,
Samantha Jessie hit a leadoff single to spark the UIU offense. A one-out single from
Kaitlyn Carlson put two Peacocks on and turned over the batting order, and Frenette worked a walk to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. A strikeout in the next at-bat saw the Peacocks get down to their final out, but a passed ball with Crogan at the plate allowed Jessie to score and cut the UIU deficit to 10-7. The comeback effort would come up short as Crogan struck out to end the game and secure a 10-7 final in which Minot State was the victor.
UP NEXT... Upper Iowa will play their final two doubleheaders of the season on May 5 and 6 back home in Fayette, Iowa. The Peacocks will host the Wildcats of Wayne State College for a two-bill on May 5 scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. before ending their season against No. 1 Augustana University (S.D.) at 1 and 3 p.m. on May 6 at the Eischeid Softball Complex.
