The Upper Iowa softball team dropped its doubleheader against No. 18 Minnesota State University, Mankato, falling 8-1 and 12-11 (8 Inn.). The Peacocks erased an 11-2 deficit with 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but an extra-inning Maverick homer secured the sweep. UIU falls to 15-16 (6-5 NSIC), while MSU improves to 28-10 (10-4 NSIC).

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No. 18 Minnesota State 8, Upper Iowa 1
Samantha Jessie had a multi-hit game with a pair of extra-base knocks, tripling and doubling to go 2-3. Sara Jessie hit 1-2 wish a sacrifice bunt and a hit-by-pitch while picking up the lone UIU RBI. Hannah Bridgewater went 1-2 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.
 
Sydney Wilcox (8-8) threw a complete game but took the loss after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits with three walks, two hit batters, and four strikeouts.
 
MSU's 2-5 hitters each notched a multi-hit game, including three hits apiece from Cheyenne Behrends, Kylie Sullivan, and Torey Richards. Behrends led the way, hitting 3-3 with three runs and four RBI with a home run.
 
Mackenzie Ward (18-3) earned the win after allowing one unearned run on five hits with nine strikeouts, a walk, and a HBP in 6.0 innings. Katie Bracken closed out the game in the seventh, allowing no hits and plunking one batter.
 
The Mavericks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning thanks to three singles, a walk, and a throwing error. The first run came around thanks to a pair of singles that sandwiched a walk, and a throwing error after a single in the next at-bat let MSU double their lead on an unearned run.
 
After a scoreless second, the Mavericks added a run on a leadoff home run in the top of the third, going up 3-0. The Peacocks answered in the bottom of the third after Bridgewater hit a leadoff single and the Peacocks put two on after an error. An RBI single from Sara Jessie brought home an unearned run, cutting the deficit to 3-1 before the end of the inning.
 
A walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a two-out single in the fourth pushed the MSU advantage back to three at 4-1. Sam Jessie hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the fourth to quickly get into scoring position, but she was called out for leaving early before a strikeout ended the UIU scoring threat.
 
In the top of the sixth, a pair of one-out singles followed by a double led to a close play at the plate, but MSU was called safe at home despite a valiant effort from Aubree Terris. A single in the ensuing at-bat brought two more Mavericks home, putting the visitors up 7-1. Another single and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, and an RBI fielder's choice in the next at-bat made it an 8-1 ballgame. The Peacocks put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but the game ended with an 8-1 MSU edge on the scoreboard.

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No. 18 Minnesota State 12, Upper Iowa 11 (8 Inn.)
Katie Crogan paced the UIU offense in game two, hitting 3-5 with five RBI and two runs thanks to two homers. Sara Jessie tied season-highs with three hits (3-5) and three RBI while adding two runs and a double. Samantha Jessie added her third extra-base hit of the day, going 1-3 with a double and a walk. Hannah Bridgewater went 1-3 with two runs, an RBI, and a walk.
 
Abby Buckman started the game but had a no-decision after allowing seven earned runs on four hits and four walks in one inning. Rylee McGonigle (3-3) took the tough loss after 7.0 innings of relief where she allowed five earned runs on eight hits with two K's, a walk, and a HBP.
 
Leadoff batter Ellie Tallman hit 4-5 with two RBI, two runs, and two doubles that both came in the first inning. Torey Richards hit 3-5 with three RBI and a run, while Cheyenne Behrends hit 2-3 with three runs, two walks, and an RBI that came on the game-winning, eighth-inning homer.
 
Mackenzie Ward (19-3) earned her second win of the day after coming on for 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks while striking out four. Starter McKayla Armbruster threw 4.0 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits with a strikeout. Kacy Nickerson allowed four earned runs on three hits and two walks with two K's in 1.0 inning, while Katie Bracken allowed four earned runs on two hits and two walks in 0.2 innings.
 
Minnesota State built a big lead in the top of the first inning, going up 7-0 thanks to a single, three doubles, and four walks. The Peacocks responded with a run in the bottom of the inning as Sara Jessie slapped a double down the left-field line before coming around to score on an RBI single from Crogan.
 
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth, and the Mavericks went up 10-1 thanks to an RBI sacrifice fly, an RBI groundout, and an RBI single. In the bottom of the fourth, Crogan crushed a solo shot that hit the flagpole in right-center, cutting the UIU deficit to 10-2 on her second RBI of the game.
 
A hit-by-pitch and a pair of singles in the top of the fifth saw MSU reclaim a nine-run lead at 11-5. However, the Peacocks staved off the run rule in the bottom of the inning after three singles in four at-bats. Sar. Jessie earned an RBI that brought Hannah Bridgewater home before Kaylee Frenette came home on a throw in the ensuing at-bat, making it an 11-4 ballgame. 
 
Upper Iowa exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 11 runs apiece. Consecutive inning-opening walks forced an MSU pitching change, but the new pitcher walked the next two batters to give Bridgewater an RBI and bring pinch-runner Sophia Heckendorf around to score. Back-to-back fielder's choices led to force-outs at home, but a two-out, two-RBI single from Sar. Jessie cut the UIU deficit to 11-7. Amelia Fitzgerald singled in the ensuing at-bat to score one more and force another MSU pitching change, and Crogan welcomed the pitcher with a three-run blast down the left-field line to knot the score at 11-11. Calista Brockman singled in her second at-bat of the inning ahead of a double from Sam Jessie that put the go-ahead run on third, but Mackenzie Ward came in to record a strikeout and end the threat.
 
After both teams went three-up, three-down in the seventh inning, the Mavericks took the lead in the eighth with a leadoff solo shot from Behrends that put them up 12-11. The Peacock defense turned an inning-ending double play after an error, but the heart of the Upper Iowa order went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eight as MSU clinched a 12-11 extra-inning win.

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Up next, the Peacocks welcome St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth to Fayette. UIU hosts the Huskies at 1/3 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 15, before battling the Bulldogs at 12/2 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 16.