Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FAYETTE, Iowa -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead softball team lost an extra inning heartbreaker in the opening game of a doubleheader with Upper Iowa, helping the Peacocks earn a sweep of the Dragons, 7-4 (8 innings) and 12-3 (5 innings) in conference action Monday in Fayette, Iowa.

The Dragons suffered a tough loss in the first game despite pounding out 11 hits. Sophomore Taylor Huss was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while freshman Kristy Bruni was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Sophomore Mollie Annen was 3-for-5 with two doubles, while senior Amanda Moore was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore Amanda Lynch was 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while sophomore Moriah Bruns was 1-for-5.

MSUM led for much of the first game and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. With one out, Annen doubled, and one out later, scored on an RBI single by Moore to give MSUM the early 1-0 lead. Lynch reached on an error, and Huss followed with a single to load the bases. Bruni delivered a key two-out hit, a two-run single to left, to score both Moore and Lynch and giving the Dragons a 3-0 lead.

Upper Iowa battled back to tie the game at 3-3, but MSUM regained the lead in the third. Lynch singled and moved to second on an error. She scored when Huss doubled to left field, giving MSUM a 4-3 advantage.

The Peacocks came back to tie the game as Lauren Marlinghaus hit a solo homer with one out in the fifth.

With the score tied at 4-4, the Dragons had chances to score the winning run in both the sixth and seventh innings.  In the sixth, Bruns singled with two out, and Annen followed with her second double of the game. However, a strikeout ended that threat.

In the seventh, Huss and Bruni hit back-to-back singles with two out but a strikeout ended that chance as well.

Upper Iowa broke the tie in the top of the eighth with three runs, and MSUM went down in order in the bottom of the inning, leaving the final score at 7-4.

"We put ourselves in position to win the first game and were just one big hit away from doing that," MSUM head coach Kelsey Fehl said. "We're a young team and right now we are just a hit or a play away from getting those wins in close games.  We have to keep striving to be solid in all areas of the game."

Freshman pitcher Morgan Nybo started and went five innings, allowing four runs and six hits, but received a no-decision.  Freshman Taylor Clifton took the loss for MSUM, allowing three runs in three innings.

In the second game, Bruns was 1-for-1 with a homer and two runs scored. She also walked twice. Sophomore Rachel Sannicandro was 2-for-2, while Lynch was 1-for-2.  Sophomore Brittany York was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Moore was 1-for-3 as well.

The Dragons were not able to slow down the Upper Iowa offense in Game 2, as the Peacocks smashed out 13 hits, including five for extra bases. A two-run homer by Jacqueline Flood and a grand slam by Rachael Anello proved to be the big hits for Upper Iowa.

The Peacocks scored three times in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead. Bruns led off the bottom of the frame with a solo homer to right to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Upper Iowa added two runs in the second, three in the fourth and four in the fifth to extend their lead.

MSUM fought back in the fifth. With two out, Sannicandro singled, and Bruns walked. Sannicandro scored when Bruns' grounder was thrown away at second. York singled to center to score Bruns with the Dragons' third and final run.

Freshman Katie Edison took the loss for MSUM, allowing five runs in 1.1 innings. Freshman Kristen Nordby allowed three runs (two earned) in 2.2 innings of relief, while junior Brandi Howell pitched the final inning.

The Dragons' doubleheader with Minot State, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed. MSUM's next scheduled doubleheader is set for Saturday at Bemidji State.