The Upper Iowa softball team split a doubleheader against Northern State University in their regular-season finale. The Wolves won 7-4 in game one before a 5-3 (8 Inn.) Peacock victory in game two. UIU finishes the season with a 23-26 (14-15 NSIC) record while NSU finishes with a 12-38 (4-24 NSIC) mark.

---

The Peacocks out-hit the Wolves 13-7 in game one, but 12 Peacocks were left on the pond compared to just four Wolves left on base. Sara Jessie and Calista Brockman each hit 3-4, Sophia Heckendorf and Samantha Jessie each went 2-4, and Katie Crogan (1-4) led UIU with three RBI thanks to a three-run home run.
 
The teams tied for game-two hits with 11 apiece, and 20 runners were left on base as UIU stranded 12 and NSU stranded eight. Sar. Jessie hit 3-4 once again with a run and an RBI. Ari Charles was 2-4 with an RBI, while Amelia Fitzgerald was 1-4 with two RBI and a walk.
 
Sydney Wilcox (11-15) took the loss in game one after allowing seven runs on seven hits and three walks in four innings. She also plunked a batter and struck out one. Abby Buckman pitched two scoreless and hitless relief innings in game one with a K, and she started game two with 5.0 innings of six-hit, one-run softball while striking out three. Mylee McGonigle (6-5) earned the win after 3.0 innings of two-run, five-hit softball with two K's.
 
No NSU player had more than one run or one hit in game one as the seven of each were spread out, but Liv Richardson had the biggest hit when she hit a grand slam, finishing 1-3 with four RBI and a run. In game two, Hannah Smith was 4-4 with a run, Ashley Fauske, Shelby Novotny, and Elly Smith each went 2-4, and Richardson (1-4) led NSU with two RBI.
 
Meghan Anderson (9-16) won game one after allowing four runs on 13 hits and three walks while striking out six and hitting one. Abigail Rux (0-15) lost game two after allowing five runs (three earned) on 11 hits, two walks, and two HBPs while striking out six in 8.0 innings. 

---

Game 1: NSU 7, UIU 4
The Peacocks sent seven batters to the plate in the first inning of game one en route to taking an early 1-0 lead. Kaylee Frenette worked a leadoff walk before a sacrifice bunt from Sara Jessie and an RBI single from Amelia Fitzgerald, but UIU left the bases loaded to end the inning.
 
The Wolves answered with two runs in the bottom of the second thanks to a pair of doubles that tied the game ahead of a two-out, RBI single that put NSU ahead 2-1.
 
The next runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning when Northern State jumped out to a 7-1 lead. NSU hit a leadoff single before two outs and a hit-by-pitch, and another single loaded the bases. The Wolves worked a walk in the ensuing at-bat to take a 3-1 lead, but a grand slam in the next at-bat put Northern state up by six runs before the end of the inning.
 
UIU loaded the bases after two quick outs in the top of the fifth, but all three Peacocks were stranded. In the top of the sixth, Katie Crogan crushed a three-run home run to make it a 7-4 ballgame after Sar. Jessie singled and Fitzgerald was hit by a pitch. Calista Brockman singled in the ensuing at-bat before Sophia Heckendorf reached on an error with two outs, but a strikeout left the Peacock pair stranded. Northern State sat UIU down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to clinch a 7-4 win.

---

Game 2: UIU 5, NSU 3 (8 Inn.)
Upper Iowa struck first in game two thanks to three singles in the top of the fifth inning. Heckendorf and Ari Charles notched base knocks, and Frenette laid down a bunt single that put pressure on the NSU defense and forced a throwing error that saw an unearned run come around to score and put the Peacocks up 1-0.
 
The Wolves responded by leaving the bases full of Peacocks before scoring a run on three singles of their own in the bottom of the inning. A two-out single tied the game at 1-1, but the Peacocks returned the favor to leave the bases full of Wolves.
 
UIU scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a two-out, RBI single from Charles that put the Peacocks up 2-1. After Frenette worked a walk, Sar. Jessie hit an RBI single that increased the Upper Iowa advantage to 3-1 thanks to an unearned run before the inning ended with three runners on base.
 
The Wolves hit two singles to lead off the bottom of the seventh before a double play, but another single and reaching on a fielder's choice where UIU could not record an out allowed NSU to load the bases. Northern State came up big with a two-out, two-RBI single in the ensuing at-bat to tie the game at 3-3 before the end of the inning. 
 
In extra innings, the Peacocks reclaimed the momentum with a pair of singles before a two-out, two-RBI double from Fitzgerald put Upper Iowa up 5-3. Northern State hit a two-out single to bring the tying run to the plate, but Upper Iowa held on to secure a 5-3 (8 Inn.) win in their final regular-season game.

---

Up next, the Peacocks will make an appearance in the NSIC Softball Tournament for the first time since winning the 2016 NSIC Tournament Championship and earning an NCAA Tournament bid. The 2022 NSIC Tournament is set to take place from May 5-7 in Rochester, Minn. at the RYFSA Complex. No. 7-seed UIU will play at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 5, against the 10-seed in the 10-team, double-elimination formatted tournament.