St. Cloud, Minn. – The Black Hills State University softball team dropped a doubleheader to Upper Iowa on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets led in both games, but fell, 8-4, in game one, and 4-1 in the nightcap.  

Upper Iowa 8, BHSU 4
Although both teams got a runner aboard in the first inning, the score was tied, 0-0, heading to the second. The Yellow Jackets got on the board first, when Morgan Smith drew an RBI walk, bringing Brittany Hendrickson around to score.

The Peacocks answered back in the bottom of the second inning, scoring on an RBI double. Upper Iowa added another run to take a 2-1 lead in the third inning, capitalizing off a leadoff walk. UIU then added two additional runs in the fourth inning.

However, BHSU responded in the fifth inning, scoring three runs of its own. Kindall Bethke hit her second home run of the year to open the inning. After Claire Fergusson singled, Alex Wiley hit her first dinger of the season, tying the game, 4-4.

Upper Iowa took back the lead in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs, and added one more in the sixth to earn the victory, 8-4.

Wiley led the way at the plate, going 2-for-4, with two RBI. She had a double and a home run, while scoring a run. Smith (0-for-2) and Bethke (1-for-4) also recorded an RBI. Fergusson had two hits in the game.

Alex Wiley (0-2) took the loss in the circle, allowing four runs (two earned) in 4.0 innings. She struck out one. Melissa Gellermann threw the final two innings, allowing four runs (two earned), and striking out three.

Upper Iowa 4, BHSU 1
The first three innings remained scoreless in game two, with each team stranding a runner in each inning. However, in the top of the fourth, BHSU was able to break through. Maddi Fidler led the inning off with a triple. Two batters later, Katelyn Odle hit a fielder's choice, allowing Fidler to come around and score and give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Peacocks tied it up. BHSU left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, and Upper Iowa took advantage in the bottom of the frame. Julia Buffington hit a two-run homer to put the Peacocks up, 3-1. Later in the inning, a fourth insurance run came around to score.

Down to their last chance, Bethke and Wiley each singled in the top of the seventh, but they were unable to come home, and the Yellow Jackets ultimately fell, 4-1.

Bethke and Fergusson each had two hits in the game, while Fidler, Wiley, Samantha Gill, and Gellermann each notched a hit.

Gellermann (0-2) took the loss, throwing all six innings. She allowed four runs while striking out three.

The Green and Gold next travel to Nashville, Tenn., for a four-game swing at the Music City Invitational. The Yellow Jackets get started taking on host Trevecca Nazarene University on Friday, February 16, at 3 p.m.
  Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.