The Upper Iowa softball team earned a split against the University of Minnesota Duluth in a doubleheader that was a tale of two halves. After scoring one run on four hits in a 10-1 (5 Inn.) game-one loss, the Peacock bats exploded for 14 runs on a season-high 17 hits in a 14-6 (6 Inn.) game-two win. The offensive outburst helped the Peacocks move on from the nine-run loss with an exciting eight-run win, a 17-run turnaround, and give Upper Iowa a comeback victory to wrap the weekend. UIU moves to 16-19 (7-8 NSIC), while UMD moves to 27-12 (12-6 NSIC).
Minnesota Duluth 10, Upper Iowa 1 (5 Inn.)
Ari Charles notched two of the four Upper Iowa hits, going 2-2.
Sara Jessie scored the lone UIU run and went 1-2 with a stolen base and a hit-by-pitch.
Calista Brockman hit 1-2 with an RBI.
Sydney Wilcox (8-10) took the loss in a complete game, allowing ten runs (eight earned) on eight hits, four walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a wild pitch. She also struck out a trio of batters.
Eight Bulldogs came around to score while six players combined for the team's eight hits. Nicole Schmitt hit 1-2 with two runs, two RBI, and a walk. Cora Meier hit 1-2 with two RBI, a run, and a walk. Kelly Swank and Jordyn Thomas each tallied two hits, an RBI, and a run.
Lauren Dixon (11-6) earned the complete game win after allowing one earned run on four hits and a walk. She also struck out five Peacocks and plunked one.
The Bulldogs went ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning thanks to a pair of doubles that sandwiched a single. The Peacocks responded with a run in the bottom of the inning thanks to two singles after
Sara Jessie came around to score on a
Calista Brockman RBI.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Minnesota Duluth put a five-spot on the scoreboard thanks to three hits and two errors. The first two runs came across after a hit-by-pitch and a pair of doubles, while the next two came across after two errors on one play before an RBI single marked the third unearned run of the inning.
UMD went up 9-1 in the fifth thanks to a single, two walks, and an RBI single that led off the inning. The Bulldogs added a tenth run after a wild pitch on a strikeout that would have ended the inning to take a 10-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Ari Charles notched her second hit to lead off the inning and bring the top of the UIU order up to bat, but UIU's 1, 2, and 3 hitters went down 1-2-3 to end the game in five innings due to run rule.
Upper Iowa 14, Minnesota Duluth 6 (6 Inn.)
Seven Peacocks recorded multi-hit games as Upper Iowa notched a season-high with 17 knocks.
Amelia Fitzgerald led UIU with four RBI on three hits in five at-bats while scoring a run and recording her first career triple.
Katie Crogan went 3-4 with two RBI and a run, while
Samantha Jessie hit 2-4 with two RBI and a run.
Kaylee Frenette (2),
Sara Jessie (3),
Hannah Bridgewater (2), and
Ari Charles (3) each scored multiple runs.
Abby Buckman (5-6) recorded the win in the circle after allowing six earned runs on five hits and four walks. She also struck out four batters in five innings.
Sydney Wilcox pitched a scoreless sixth inning, allowing two hits, walking one, and striking out one.
Jordyn Thomas led UMD with four RBI thanks to a grand slam in the fifth inning, hitting 1-2 with a walk.
Sam Pederson (10-3) took the loss in the circle after 1.2 innings of relief in which she allowed seven runs (three earned) on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout. Christin Hartman started and threw three innings, allowing five unearned runs on seven hits and plunking one Peacock. Mady Stariha came in for two outs, but the game-ending runs came across against her after allowing three hits and two runs (one earned).
The Peacocks struck first in game two, adding two unearned runs thanks to two hits and two errors.
Amelia Fitzgerald picked up an RBI on a triple that brought
Sara Jessie around to score before coming home on a throwing error two at-bats later.
After
Abby Buckman secured three strikeouts to strand two walked batters, the Peacocks quickly loaded the bases thanks to an error and two singles in the bottom of the second. The UMD defense recorded a pair of quick outs, but a two-RBI single from Fitzgerald brought
Ari Charles and
Hannah Bridgewater home to add a pair of unearned runs.
Katie Crogan picked up an RBI for her second single in as many at-bats, giving UIU a 5-0 lead through two innings thanks to five unearned runs.
Minnesota Duluth's first hit came in the top of the fifth inning in the form of a leadoff double. The Bulldog's first run came two batters later after a one-out RBI single, cutting the UIU lead to 5-1. Another single and a walk loaded the bases, and a single in the ensuing at-bat made it a 5-2 ballgame. Jordyn Thomas needed just two pitches to put UMD ahead, hitting a grand slam over the fence in right-center to give the Bulldogs a 6-2 lead before the end of the inning.
The Peacocks came up with an answer in the bottom of the fifth as 13 batters came to the plate, and UIU added three earned runs and four unearned scores. Brockman and
Samantha Jessie led off with a pair of singles before Bridgewater loaded the bases with a one-out, infield single. Charles picked up an RBI with a single up the middle to tie the game at 6-6, and
Kaylee Frenette put UIU ahead 7-6 with an RBI single to the pitcher. Sar. Jessie kept the wheels turning and picked up an RBI on a fielding error that saw Charles come around to score an unearned run and give the Peacocks a 9-6 lead. After a pop-out, Crogan passed the baton with an RBI single up the middle that increased the UIU advantage to 10-6. Brockman worked a walk in her second at-bat of the fifth before Sam Jessie slapped her second single of the inning, picking up two RBI and putting the Peacocks up 12-6 before a groundout from a new UMD pitcher ended the seven-run, seven-hit fifth frame.
Sydney Wilcox came into the game to relieve Buckman in the circle, and she and the UIU defense combined to strand the bases full of Bulldogs in the top of the sixth. Charles reached on an error ahead of a single from Frenette, and Sar. Jessie singled to load the bases with one out. Fitzgerald singled to left-field in the ensuing at-bat and picked up an RBI, and Frenette came around for the winning run. Frenette was initially called out at the plate, but the UMD catcher was called for obstruction and the run was granted, clinching a 14-6 win for the Peacocks in six innings due to run rule.
Up next, the Peacocks are scheduled to play a stretch of eight games in five days. UIU hits the road for a doubleheader against nationally-ranked Augustana University at 3/5 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 20, in Sioux Falls, S.D. before making their way to Winona, Minn. for a doubleheader against Winona State University at 2/4 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 21. Upper Iowa then returns home to host Minot State University on Saturday, Apr. 23, at 1/3 p.m. before matching up against the University of Mary at 12/2 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 24, at the Eischeid Softball Complex.
