March 18, 2009

Final Stats

The Upper Iowa softball team opened their home season in Fayette today against the Warriors of Waldorf College. The Peacocks are coming off a 5-5 trip at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida. The Warriors came into the double header with an 8-2 record. Upper Iowa scored 8 runs in each of the games to pick up the sweep on the day. UIU won game one 8-6 and game two 8-4. With the two wins, the Peacocks improve to 7-5 on the season.

In game one, Waldorf scratched out a run in each of the first three innings, but Upper Iowa stormed back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Karrie Coon singled to right and then three straight doubles by Casey Coon, Brittney Auten, and Kami Appelt plated three Peacock runs to tie the game. UIU added five more runs in the fourth. The Peacock opened the inning's scoring thanks to a Karrie Coon rbi-single and an Auten rbi-double. As Auten stretched her hit into a double, Casey Coon scored on the throw. Erin Bennek singled to score UIU's fourth run of the inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Meredith Ang walked and picked up another rbi to push the home team's lead to 8-3. Waldorf rallied with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Peacock lead to 8-6. Christy Loan shut down the Warrior offense over the final two innings to pick up the complete game victory and improve to 3-2 on the season.

Loan threw seven innings allowing 6 runs, only three were earned, on 12 hits. The junior from Oxford, Iowa struck out 3 while only walking 1. The Peacocks were led by Auten's 3 hits at the plate; the UIU left fielder picked up 2 rbi's and scored 2 runs. Bennek and Karrie Coon each tallied two hits in the game.

In game two, the Peacocks put a pair of runs on the board in the first inning after two rbi-singles off the bats of Appelt and Ang. UIU put another mark on the scoreboard in the third inning after Stefani Schulte was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate Auten. Auten came up big at the plate in the fourth inning with a triple to right center that scored Danielle DeSerano and Casey Coon. Waldorf rallied with 3 runs on 3 hits in the top of the fifth inning and added another in the sixth inning. Auten gave the home team some breathing room with a bomb over the centerfield wall that gave the Peacocks an 8-4 lead. Schulte finished the Warriors off in the seventh inning to earn the complete game victory and improve to 2-1 on the season.

Schulte threw 7 innings allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out 4 Warriors. Auten continued her torrid pace at the plate with a second 3-4 showing at the plate. Auten scored 3 runs and notched 4 rbi. For the day, Auten tallied 6 hits including a pair of doubles, a triple, and a homerun; she also racked up 6 rbi and scored 5 runs.

The Peacocks will return to the field this weekend, Mar. 21-22, at Missouri Western State. Upper Iowa will play four games against MIAA institutions as they match up with Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State, Truman State, and the host school, MWSU.