ROSEMONT, Ill. - Upper Iowa softball (3-15) won its first contest, 9-2, over Bemidji State (2-8) on Saturday morning, before falling, 4-3 to Hillsdale (Mich.) (4-4) in the afternoon. The Peacocks notched two wins in the Lewis Dome Invitational.

Kaitlin Foral finished with three hits, three RBIs, scored two runs and walked twice. Emma Tautges totaled three hits with a double, two RBIs and scored two runs. Elliott Pomeroy posted two hits, recorded four RBIs and tallied a run. Cara Farnam hit the team's first triple of the year against Bemidji State.

Sara Reid earned her third win against the Beavers after pitching eight innings and striking out six batters. The senior gave up two earned runs on five hits and zero walks after appearing in both games. 

UIU continues its season on Feb. 27-March 1 at the Midwest Classic in Shawnee, Kansas. Upper Iowa faces Central Missouri (8-2) at 2:30 p.m. and Central Oklahoma (12-4) at 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 27. 

Upper Iowa 9, Bemidji State 2

The Peacocks were on fire in the first inning, ripping off five runs. Tautges brought home the first two runners from second and third base, while advancing herself on a throwing error by the Beavers. Pomeroy then brought home Tautges and Jesice Comstock, making the score 4-0. Farnam added the cherry on top, bringing home a runner herself after cranking a triple. 

BSU scored a run in the third inning on an Alayna DeGraef single and another in the fourth on a Jackie Larsen sacrifice bunt. UIU held on to win, 9-2, after adding insurance in the sixth. Taylor Hamaker bunted to the catcher, and Proud reached second base on an error by the Beavers. Both Peacocks later scored runs off a Kaitlin Foral 2RBI single to left field. 

Foral totaled two hits, scored two runs, had two RBIs and recorded two walks. Tautges and Pomeroy each posted two RBIs, connecting for a hit and scoring a run. Proud, Comstock and Hamaker scored a run. Reagon Proud also had two hits. 

Reid pitched seven innings, striking out five batters. She only allowed one earned run on five hits. 

Kassandra Balabon boasted two hits and scored two runs for Bemidji State, while DeGraef recorded a hit and an RBI. 

UIU totaled seven RBIs, left five batters on base, had eight hits, were walked six times and had one error. BSU recorded an RBI, connected for five hits, left four batters on base and had two errors. 

Hillsdale 4, Upper Iowa 3
Upper Iowa got the ball rolling in the second inning, scoring two runs. Tautges began the inning by hitting a double, and later reached third. Marhefke reached second base after stealing it. Pomeroy hit a left-center single, driving home both runners. 

Hillsdale responded in the third with a solo homer by Olivia Liguori. The team added three more runs to take a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning off a Ronnie Craft RBI single to third, and two throwing errors by UIU. 

The Peacocks posted a run in the sixth. Comstock started the inning by hitting a double, and was later brought home with a Foral single to center field. It wasn't quite enough as the Mustangs won 4-3 after holding UIU scoreless in the seventh. 

Tautges tallied two hits and scored a run, while Pomeroy posted a hit and two RBIs. Comstock had a hit and a walk, while Ella Perkins and Marhefke each mustered a run. Mara Sivley pitched five innings, striking out two batters. She also allowed two earned runs on six hits. 

Liguori led HC, scoring two runs, connecting for a hit and recording an RBI. Ava Stripp scored a run and had a hit, while Craft cranked a hit and recorded an RBI. Katie Jonas was on the mound for 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and a walk. The freshman also struck out three batters.

Upper Iowa totaled six hits, left four batters on base and recorded three RBIs. Hillsdale had six hits, left five batters on base and tallied four RBIs. The Peacocks posted the only three errors of the game.