The Upper Iowa softball team won both ends of its doubleheader against Bemidji State University, winning 9-4 in game one before a 6-0 shutout in game two. Upper Iowa was batting as the away team despite hosting the games after a site reversal. The Peacocks improve to 13-14 overall and 4-3 in the NSIC, while the Beavers fall to 7-21 (4-4 NSIC).
Katie Crogan made history and became UIU's all-time hits leader after a five-hit day.
Upper Iowa 9, Bemidji State 4
The Peacocks finished the top of the first inning with four hits and a hit-by-pitch, and
Amelia Fitzgerald put Upper Iowa ahead 2-0 through three batters with a two-run round-tripper that brought
Sara Jessie home.
The top of the Peacock order came up big again in the top of the third as Sar. Jessie and Fitzgerald singled ahead of a
Katie Crogan bunt that saw Jessie come home on an error.
Calista Brockman picked up two RBI single in the next at-bat to put the Peacocks ahead 5-0 after another four-hit half-inning.
Bemidji State scored their first run in the bottom of the third thanks to consecutive two-out hits, cutting the UIU lead to 5-1.
Upper Iowa responded with three two-out runs of their own in the top of the fourth, all of the unearned variety.
Kaylee Frenette reached on an error before scoring on a Sar. Jessie single. Fitzgerald doubled to put two Peacocks in scoring position, and Crogan brought them home with a two-RBI double to put UIU up 8-1.
The Beavers scored a pair of two-out, unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an error, a single, a hit-by-pitch, and a double.
Sydney Wilcox and the UIU defense induced a groundout to strand two Beavers and end the inning.Â
The Peacocks added an insurance run in the top of the seventh thanks to a solo shot from Crogan, and the Beavers scored a seventh-inning run of their own thanks to a single and a double before a groundout clinched a 9-4 UIU win.
Upper Iowa's 1-5 hitters each had multi-hit games and combined for all of UIU's 14 hits, nine runs, and eight RBI. Crogan was unstoppable in game one, hitting 4-4 with three RBI, two runs, a double, and a homer. Fitzgerald also hit a home run and a double, and she finished with two RBI, three runs, and a 3-4 day at the plate. Frenette went 2-4 with a run, Sar. Jessie was 3-4 with three runs and an RBI, and Brockman was 2-4 with two RBI.
Wilcox (7-7) earned her seventh win in her 13th complete game. She allowed eight hits and four runs (two unearned) while striking out five, walking none, and hitting one.Â
BSU's 1-4 hitters led the way, and their leadoff batters scored each Beaver run. Alexa and Aimee Christenson each hit 2-4 with two runs, while Aimee added two RBI.
Stella Dolan (3-11) took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits in 3.0 innings. Kyla Damerow gave up four runs (one earned) on five hits with four strikeouts in 4.0 innings of relief.
Upper Iowa 6, Bemidji State 0
Upper Iowa scored a run in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. In the first frame, a single by Fitzgerald, a fielding error allowing Crogan to reach, and an RBI single by Brockman put UIU up 1-0.
Samantha Jessie smacked a double to lead off the second inning before scoring on an RBI single from
Ari Charles that doubled the UIU lead to 2-0.
The next runs came in the top of the fifth inning after Sar. Jessie hit a leadoff single and stole second before coming home on an RBI single by Brockman, giving UIU a 3-0 edge. The Upper Iowa defense erased a pair of leadoff walks issued by
Abby Buckman with an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Charles worked a two-out walk to turn the order over, clearing the way for Frenette to hit an RBI double that put UIU ahead 4-0. Sar. Jessie reached on a fielding error in the ensuing at-bat, and the speedy Frenette came around to score an unearned run and increase the advantage to 5-0.
The UIU defense stranded a pair of singles in the bottom of the sixth inning to keep BSU off the board, and the UIU offense got back to work and added a run in the top of the seventh. Crogan's leadoff single was monumental as it was the 220th hit of her career, the most all-time in Upper Iowa softball history. The historic hit also gave way to pinch-runner
Sophia Heckendorf, who came around to score after a groundout and an RBI single from Sam Jessie, putting UIU up 6-0.Â
After a leadoff BSU walk, Buckman and the UIU defense secured the 6-0 shutout and the doubleheader sweep for Upper Iowa.
Upper Iowa's 1-4 hitters each hit 1-4, and Frenette, Sar. Jessie, and Fitzgerald each added a run. Crogan's hit led to a run, but it was Heckendorf who came around to score after pinch-running. Brockman matched her game-one output and led the way with two RBI and a 2-4 mark at the plate. Sam Jessie hit 3-4 with a double, a run, and an RBI, while Charles hit 1-2 with a walk, a run, and an RBI.
Buckman (3-5) picked up the win after pitching four innings in relief and combining with Wilcox for the shutout. Buckman allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out two, while Wilcox allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out one.
BSU's 2-6 hitters each notched a hit to combine for the team's five hits. Kaidron McClafferty (3-7) pitched a complete game in a losing effort, allowing six runs (four earned) on 11 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
Up next, the Peacocks host the University of Minnesota Crookston for a doubleheader at 12/2 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 10. Upper Iowa will bat first in the contests after the site reversal despite playing at the Eischeid Softball Complex.
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