The Upper Iowa University softball team could not secure a win on their first day at the Lewis Flyer Dome Invitational. The Peacocks opened the action with a 2-1 nail-biting loss against Saginaw Valley State University. UIU took an early 1-0 lead in the game, but two late runs put SVSU on top. In game two, Upper Iowa fell 9-1 against Purdue University Northwest to close the day. The Pride took an early 5-0 edge through the first two innings, and the Peacocks could not make a comeback. UIU falls to 0-5 on the season while SVSU improved to 1-0 with their win and PNW improved to 2-0 with their victory.
Saginaw Valley State 2, Upper Iowa 1
After a scoreless one-and-a-half innings that saw each team strand a runner, the Peacocks got something going in the second inning.
Aubree Terris drew a one-out walk before
Hannah Bridgewater notched an infield single to put runners on first and second.
Sophia Heckendorf kept the momentum rolling with an RBI single in the next at-bat, scoring Terris from second and leaving two on with one out.
Kaylee Frenette made strong contact as the next batter, but it resulted in a fly-out to center field. The Peacocks were aggressive in trying to grow their 1-0 lead, but Bridgewater was caught trying to steal third for the third out.
The next turn came in the top of the fourth inning when the Cardinals saw their first two batters reach via a single and an error, respectively. The Peacocks caught a break with a double-play ball from the next hitter, leaving a runner on second with two outs instead of two on with no outs. The UIU defense tightened the clamps and got a ground-out to end the threat.
UIU's defense held firm again in the fifth after a leadoff triple as Terris collected a ball in the dirt and caught the runner trying to steal home. SVSU started strong for a third consecutive inning with a single and steal that saw a runner on second with no outs. A strikeout by
Sydney Wilcox and a line-out flipped the script and had UIU one out away from going to the dugout, but Saginaw Valley got on the board thanks to a pinch-hit double in the next at-bat. A pinch runner scored from second on a single by the following batter, putting SVSU up 2-1 after the top of the sixth.
Amelia Fitzgerald hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a groundout in the bottom of the sixth, representing the tying run on second with the go-ahead run at the plate. However, Wilcox struck out in the batter's box to strand the runner. The UIU defense got three ground-outs in the top of the seventh and stranded a Cardinal to keep their deficit at one headed to the final at-bats in regulation. In the bottom of the seventh, Heckendorf kept the comeback hopes alive with a two-out single to bring Frenette to the plate. The upperclassmen came through with a single that would have put the winning run on base, but Heckendorf was thrown out going from second to third as SVSU clinched a 2-1 win.
Purdue Northwest 9, Upper Iowa 1
Purdue Northwest had a quick turnaround after securing a narrow victory just minutes before playing the Peacocks, and the Pride kept their momentum going by going ahead 5-0 after two innings. An error and a single set PNW up in the top of the first, and a one-out single scored both runners after a wild pitch. PNW got back at it in the second inning with a leadoff walk after UIU went down in order. The Peacocks responded by getting two outs, but an RBI double put PNW up 3-0. The Pride quickly increased their lead with a two-run home run in the next at-bat, going up 5-0.
After the first eight Peacocks went down in order, Frenette slapped a single through the left side to get the UIU offense on the bases in the bottom of the third.
Samantha Jessie tripled in the ensuing at-bat, putting the Peacocks on the scoreboard. A strikeout ended the inning in the next at-bat, but UIU ended the third frame by cutting their deficit to 5-1.
Purdue Northwest resumed their scoring in the fourth after a one-inning hiatus thanks to a two-out RBI double. The next batter sent a fly ball to right field, but a dropped ball allowed PNW to tack an unearned run onto their lead, 7-1, before the end of the inning. After UIU went down in order, the Pride went ahead 8-1 in the fifth, thanks to a double and a single. UIU looked to get some more two-out mojo in the bottom of the fifth after consecutive two-out singles from Heckendorf and Frenette, but the pair of Peacocks were left stranded.
In the top of the seventh inning, PNW worked a leadoff walk before back-to-back strikeouts by
Abby Buckman. A single and a walk allowed the Pride to load the bases with two outs, and an infield single to the pitcher gave Purdue Northwest a 9-1 advantage before a pop-out ended the inning and left the bases loaded.
Calista Brockman bashed a pinch-hit double to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but UIU could not cut into the 9-1 deficit before the end of the game.
UP NEXT... The Peacocks have an early start to their second and final day at the Lewis Flyer Dome Invitational on Friday, Feb. 25. UIU opens the day in Rosemont, Ill. against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside at 9 a.m. before facing Ursuline College at 11 a.m. for game two of the doubleheader.
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