Upper Iowa softball secured a series split against Concordia University, St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn. The Peacocks led 4-0 in game one and 5-0 in game two, falling 11-6 in the first contest before winning the second 5-3. UIU moves to 21-22 (12-11 NSIC) on the season, while CSP moves to 31-12-1 (14-10 NSIC).

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The teams combined for 26 hits and 15 runners left on base in game one before combining for 16 hits and 16 LOB in game two. The Peacock defense was able to strand 10 Golden Bears on the bases in the game-two win.
 
Kaylee Frenette and Sophia Heckendorf each had four hits and two RBI on the day as each Peacock hit 3-4 in game one. Frenette (2) led UIU in game-one RBI while Heckendorf, Sara Jessie, and Katie Crogan each notched one. 
 
Amelia Fitzgerald and Calista Brockman each hit 2-4 with a run in game two, while Brockman, Hannah Birdgewater, and Heckendorf had the three UIU RBI.
 
Sydney Wilcox (10-13) took the game-one loss in the circle after allowing 11 runs (nine earned) on 15 hits and two walks while striking out two. Rylee McGonigle (5-3) earned the game-two win after allowing three runs on seven hits and five walks while striking out three. 
 
Four Golden Bears had multi-RBI games in game one. Grace Beseman hit 2-3 with a home run and a pair of runs and RBI; Sydney Pelzer was 1-3 with three RBI, a double, and two runs; Avery Johnson was 2-4 with four RBI, two runs, and a homer; Jacey Defries went 2-4 with three RBI, a homer and a run. 
 
Beseman (1-3), Clara Heislen (1-4), and Amanda Parsons (2-4) combined for CSP's three game-two RBI.
 
Bryanna Olson (17-6) got the game-one win after allowing six runs on 11 hits, four walks, two wild pitches, and a hit-by-pitch. Olson also struck out nine Peacocks. Kristi Pilz (6-1) took the game-two loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits, two walks, and a wild pitch. Erica McCullough threw a scoreless and hitless 2.1 innings of relief with one strikeout.

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Game 1: CSP 11, UIU 6
The Peacocks struck first in the third inning of game one after Kaylee Frenette got to second with two outs thanks to a single and a stolen base before Sara Jessie put UIU up 1-0 with an RBI single.
 
After leading off the fourth inning with a walk, Katie Crogan doubled the UIU lead by stealing home, going up 2-0. Upper Iowa's edge doubled again later in the inning thanks to a two-out RBI single from Frenette that put UIU up 4-0. The inning ended with three Peacocks left on base after UIU had scored three runs thanks to three hits and three walks.
 
Concordia, St. Paul answered quickly in the bottom of the fourth by going single, walk, and three-run home run in the first three at-bats to cut the score to 4-3. CSP threatened again with a pair of two-out singles, but the three-run, four-hit ended with UIU still leading.
 
CSP led off the bottom of the fifth with a game-tying solo home run before a two-out, two-run round-tripper put the Golden Bears ahead 6-4. The Peacocks had a shot to tie the game in the top of the sixth after going hit-by-pitch, single, and double with two outs. Sar. Jessie came around to score on the Crogan double, but Amelia Fitzgerald was thrown out at home to keep CSP ahead 6-5.
 
The Golden Bears increased their advantage in a big way in the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs on five hits and two errors before the inning's first out. The Peacocks buckled down and threw a runner out on the bases before two flyouts ended the inning after CSP built an 11-5 lead.
 
Upper Iowa started a one-out rally after Hannah Bridgewater doubled, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI single from Sophia Heckendorf that cut the deficit to 11-6, but that is where the final score held as Concordia, St. Paul took game one. 

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Game 2: UIU 5, CSP 3
UIU struck first for the second straight game, this time going up 3-0 in the top of the first inning. Two one-out singles and a walk loaded the bases, and Calista Brockman hit an RBI single to score Sar. Jessie and put UIU ahead 1-0. Bridgewater made it a 2-0 game thanks to an RBI groundout that scored Fitzgerald, and Crogan came across thanks to a throwing error in the net at-bat to add an unearned run go up 3-0.
 
The Peacocks added to their lead in the fifth after three consecutive singles loaded the bases, and pinch-runner Carly Jeans scored on a wild pitch to increase the edge to 4-0. CSP threw a runner out at home after a fly ball for a double play in the ensuing at-bat, but an RBI single from Heckendorf made it a 5-0 ballgame through the top of the fifth.
 
CSP cut the deficit back to three thanks to three two-out hits in the bottom of the fifth, as the heart of the Golden Bear order went double, RBI single, and RBI double to cut the UIU lead to 5-2.
 
The Golden Bears shaved another run off of the UIU lead in the sixth thanks to two more two-out hits. After two quick outs, CSP singled and walked ahead of an RBI single that made it a 5-3 game, but the UIU defense responded to strand two runners and maintain the two-run lead. Concordia, St. Paul put the tying runs on base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Rylee McGonigle clinched the complete game win with a strikeout to secure a 5-3 win and a series split.

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Up next, the Peacocks have three more road doubleheaders to close their regular-season campaign. UIU faces Winona State University at 2/4 p.m. on Thursday, Apr. 28 before matching up against Minnesota State University Moorhead at 1/3 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 30, and wrapping up against Northern State University on Sunday, May 1, at 12/2 p.m.