Box Score Game One | Box Score Game Two
FAYETTE, Iowa. – Three home runs from the Southwest Minnesota State softball team was not enough as Upper Iowa hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the eighth of game two for a 13-9 final to secure the sweep, after a 9-1 victory in game one, on Saturday afternoon at the Eischeid Softball Complex in Fayette, Iowa.
SMSU (11-13, 6-6 NSIC) and UIU (14-13, 6-6 NSIC) went into extra innings in game two for SMSU's first time this season. Each team had 15 hits and combined for a total of six home runs.
Game One
SMSU scored one in the top of the inning but was unable to keep the UIU at bay as they jumped to an early lead with a four-run first inning.
The Peacocks out-hit the Mustangs 12 to 3.
Athena Golling suffered the loss in the circle with three innings pitched and four strikeouts.
Game Two
Bailey Johnson started game two with a solo home run to right field to jump to an early 1-0 lead. Before the first was over,
Kali Tomlinson hit a two-run home run to score
Abbie Decker to advance the lead to 3-0.
Upper Iowa went on the board in the bottom of the third to score an unearned run on a throwing error by the Mustangs.
In the top of the fourth, Johnson drove in two more runs with a double to center to score
Kaylee Hentges and
Kristen Neumann
The Peacocks responded in the bottom of the inning with a single and an error to score two more unearned runs.
The Mustangs had a chance to advance the lead in the top of five as Decker and Tomlinson went for back-to-back hits to open the inning. With two runners on,
Lileya Kebos advanced to first on a fielder's choice as Decker was called out at home.
Alex Reak followed Kebos on base with a fielder's choice to load the bases, but were stranded as the next two batters fly out to center and struck out swinging.
The Peacocks managed to tie the game in bottom of the fifth with a single and back-to-back doubles to put up two runs.
SMSU took the lead once again in the top of six with bases loaded and two outs. Kebos singled to the third basement to score Johnson before Reak followed behind with a single down the right field line to a two-RBI single scoring Decker and Johnson.
In the final two innings, the Peacocks were able to claw their way back in the game with a two-run home run to force the game into extra innings.
Both teams had multiple home runs in the game as Decker put the SMSU up 9-8 in the top of 8 with a solo home run.
With no outs, the Peacocks stayed in the game with a solo home run of their own. The Mustangs gained the first out with a ground out to the
Megan Cull in the circle.
With one out, the Peacocks loaded the bases off two singles and a fielder's choice before UIU's Katie Crogan had a walk-off grand slam for a 13-9 win.
SMSU was led in Johnson and Tomlinson who contributed three hits each.
Megan Cull suffered the loss in circle throwing 5 innings.
Shelby Crank threw two innings off relief before Cull returned in the bottom of the eighth.
Southwest Minnesota State (11-13, 6-6 NSIC) hosts Minnesota State on Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m.
