The Upper Iowa softball team secured its second sweep in as many doubleheaders, besting Minnesota Crookston 15-8 and 13-5 (5 Inn.) at the Eischeid Softball Complex. UIU has won five of six and is 5-2 in Fayette despite batting first again against UMC due to a site reversal. The Peacocks improve to 15-14 overall and 6-3 in the NSIC, while the Golden Eagles fall to 12-23 (4-7 NSIC).

The Peacocks combined for 28 runs on 28 hits with 26 RBI across 12 innings, moving up a spot to become the NSIC's second-highest scoring offense with 6.34 runs per game. In game one, UIU combined for 15 runs on 15 hits thanks to 15 RBI, setting a new high-water mark for runs in a conference contest. Upper Iowa added 13 runs on 13 hits in game two, along with 11 RBI.

Katie Crogan led the way, hitting 7-9 (.778) with five RBI, three runs, two doubles, and a three-run home run. Amelia Fitzgerald finished with seven RBI after hitting a round-tripper in each game, hitting 4-9 (.444) with two runs.

In the nine-hole, Ari Charles was 3-3 with two doubles, two runs, and an RBI in game one, finishing the day hitting 5-7 (.714) with four runs, three RBI, two doubles, and a triple. Samantha Jessie scored three times on one hit, two walks, and two hit-by-pitches.

Kaylee Frenette scored six runs and batted in two more, including four runs on one hit in game one after reaching on three separate errors. Sara Jessie hit 3-8 (.375) with four RBI and four runs, giving the top four Peacock hitters combined totals of 16 hits, 15 runs, and 18 RBI.

Sydney Wilcox (8-7) earned the game-one win in the circle after pitching the first five innings and reentering for the seventh frame. She finished with a 1.17 ERA and matched a season high with six strikeouts while allowing eight hits and four runs (one earned). Wilcox also hit 2-4 with three RBI, two runs, and her first career triple in game two.

Abby Buckman (4-5) earned the complete game win in game two, finishing with a 2.80 after the five-inning win. She tied a career-high with five strikeouts while walking one and allowing five runs (two earned) on ten hits.

Dana Zarn led UMC in game one, hitting 2-3 with four RBI and a run thanks to a double and a homer. Pitcher Thayda (5-6) took the loss despite striking out seven after allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in 6.1 innings.

In game two, seven Golden Eagles combined for ten hits, highlighted by a two-out, two-run pinch-hit home run from Alyssa Stillman in the bottom of the fifth. Evie Stuck (6-10) took the loss after allowing 13 runs (six earned) on 13 hits and striking out three in five innings.

Upper Iowa took a 4-0 lead in game one after scoring one in the first on one hit and one error and three in the third on three hits and one error. Minnesota Crookston cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth thanks to two hits and an error, pulling within 4-2.

The teams combined for 17 runs over the final two innings of game one, jump-started by a six-run, six-hit sixth inning for Upper Iowa. The Peacocks scored three runs on five hits and a sacrifice fly before Crogan crushed a three-run home run to put UIU ahead 10-2. The Golden Eagles answered with four runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a walk, a single, an error, and a three-run dinger of their own to pull within 10-6.

The Peacocks tacked on five more runs in the top of the seventh thanks to a walk, a double, and consecutive errors ahead of a three-run round-tripper from Fitzgerald. UIU loaded the bases on another error, a single, and a hit-by-pitch, but the half-inning ended with a 15-6 UIU lead. UMC added two runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh, but the game ended with a 15-8 Peacock edge on the scoreboard.

Minnesota Crookston took a 2-0 first-inning lead in game two thanks to four hits. Upper Iowa led off the second inning with two hits before scoring on an error, but the Golden Eagles reclaimed a two-run lead in the bottom of the third thanks to an error and a double, 3-1.

The Peacocks flipped the script in the top of the fourth inning with three unearned runs on three hits and one error to take a 4-3 advantage. Charles brought Wilcox home on a triple before a two-RBI single from Sar. Jessie that scored Charles and Frenette, who reached on a walk.

Upper Iowa blew the game open in the top of the fifth, tallying nine runs on six hits and three errors. A Wilcox triple brought a pair of one-out walks home, and a pair of singles and an error made it an 8-3 game. Fitzgerald went yard for her second three-run dinger of the day, pushing the lead to 11-3. Two singles, a hit-by-pitch, and a throwing error allowed UIU to tack on two more and lead 13-3 going into the bottom of the inning. UMC pulled within eight after a two-out, two-run pinch-hit homer that notched two unearned runs after an error, but the Peacock defense stranded a runner and ended the inning to clinch a 13-5 win in five innings due to run rule.

Up next, Upper Iowa is set to host a trip of doubleheaders at the Eischeid Softball Complex. UIU is scheduled for a matchup against Minnesota State University, Mankato at 2/4 p.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 12, before seeing St. Cloud State University at 1/3 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 15, and the University of Minnesota Duluth at 12/2 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 16.