The Peacock softball team dropped a pair of games on opening day at the Lewis Flyers D-2 Midwest Region Dome Invitational in Rosemont, Ill. Upper Iowa lost 17-7 to Saginaw Valley State University in five innings and then fell just shy 4-2 in their second game against Purdue University Northwest.
 
Laila Pelds tallied three hits on the afternoon with a pair of singles and a double, while Taylor Sedam and Rae VanMilligan each had a pair of hits. Sedam registered a double and VanMilligan notched the team's first home run of the season.
 
Upper Iowa will get back on the field in the Rosemont Dome on Friday against the University of Wisconsin Parkside at 9 a.m. and Ursuline College at 11 a.m.
 
Saginaw Valley State 17 – Upper Iowa 7 (5 Inn.)
After the Cardinals scored a run in the first inning, the Peacocks were able to avoid further damage and get out of a bases loaded situation with a strikeout and ground out. UIU answered with four runs in the bottom of the first thanks to an rbi-single to left by Pelds and a three-run home run to left off the bat of VanMilligan.
 
The Cardinals stormed back in the top of the second with five runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter to reclaim a 6-4 lead. UIU was able to knot the score at 6-6 heading into the top of the third after Ari Charles made SVSU pay for a pair of errors to open the inning with a triple to center field.
 
The third inning started well for UIU with a strikeout but four straight walks followed by two hits allowed the Cardinals to move out to a 10-6 lead and fielding error on the infield let two more runs across the plate. SVSU added two more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to move ahead 17-6.
 
Sedam singled in to center field in the bottom of the fifth to plate Pelds, who led the inning off with a single.
 
Abby Buckman (0-1) suffered the loss after three innings of work allowing 11 runs, seven were earned, on six hits. Buckman did record six strikeouts in here time in the circle. Vetter took a no-decision after starting and throwing two innings and allowing six runs on six hits with two strikeouts.
 
The Cardinals accumulated their 17 runs on 12 hits, eight walks, two hit batters and four Peacock errors. Upper Iowa scored their seven runs on six hits, two hit batters, a walk and five SVSU errors.
 
Upper Iowa 4 – Purdue Northwest 2
The Peacocks put a runner on third base with one out in the top of the first, but couldn't get the game's first run. The Pride struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the opening inning; both runs came with two outs after a walk and two-straight doubles.
 
In the fourth, PNW added a third run with a pair of singles and a bit of timely baserunning to score prior to the final out of the inning.
 
The Peacocks rallied with a pair of runs in the sixth inning when Pelds doubled down the left field line and drove in Serah Shafer, who walked to start the inning. After Alli Schaffer walked to load the bases, VanMilligan singled to center to drive in one run and pull UIU within a run, 3-2. A ground ball double play ended the rally as the Pride turned the two-out play through home plate.
 
PNW added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a home run by Jocey Gault moving ahead 4-2 heading into the final inning.
 
Sedam doubled for Upper Iowa with one out in the seventh, but was stranded at second base to end the game.
 
Roo Madison (1-1) picked up the complete game win for the Pride with seven innings of work. She allowed two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three Peacocks.
 
Abby Breuer (0-1) suffered the loss going the distance with six innings in the circle. Breuer allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts.