March 30, 2008

Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score

The Upper Iowa baseball team must have had the feeling of déjà vu after their double header with #18 Wayne State. Last season, the Peacocks defeated the Wildcats twice on day one, but were defeated in both games on day two. UIU picked up the first two games of the series yesterday and headed into today's double header with their eye on taking control of the Northern Sun Conference. The Wildcats, just like last year, won both games on day two to salvage a series split with the Peacocks. WSC won the game one 7-2 and game two 2-0.

In game one, Wayne State jumped on the scoreboard first in the third inning and added two more in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. The run in the third came after the first two batters of the inning were retired. The Wildcats used two hits around a walk to push a run across. The pair of runs in the fourth came on three hits. The inning could have been worse as Wayne State left the bases loaded.

Upper Iowa rallied for a run in the top of the fifth. After Lucas Wilsing walked to open the inning, he advanced to third on an Erik Sorensen single through the right side and scored on a fielding error later in the inning.

Wayne State jumped out to a 7-1 lead after the bottom of the fifth as the home team scored four runs while tallying only one hit. Three walks loaded the bases with one out and a double cleared the bases. The final run of the inning was unearned as it came thanks to a fielding error by the Peacocks.

UIU ended the game's scoring in the top of the sixth with a second unearned run. Nick Fjelland scored after reaching base on an error. T.J. Johnson drove Fjelland across the plate with a single to center field.

Zach Raff took the loss for the Peacocks. The junior threw 3.1 innings while scattering five hits and allowing three runs. The right hander struck out five. At the plate, UIU was led by Sorensen, who had two hits on the day.

In game two, Peacock starter Greg Sieck threw his second straight solid game for UIU. Sieck threw 4.2 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 2. Unfortunately for Sieck, the Wildcat starter, Eric Dye, threw 6 innings allowing no runs and only 4 hits while striking out 4. The Wildcats scored one in the third and one in the fifth.

UIU's best chance to score came in the sixth inning. With one out, Kreston Albright walked and advanced to third on a Fjelland double. Marcus Thompson reached base when he was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Albright was forced out at home on a fielder's choice back to the pitcher. With two outs and the bases loaded, the inning ended when the next Peacock batter grounded out to the pitcher.

After the split, the Peacocks are now 6-16 overall and 4-4 in the Northern Sun Conference. Upper Iowa will open at home this Tuesday, Apr. 1, against the Beavers of Bemidji State. The double header will begin at 1 p.m. The games with Bemidji were originally scheduled for Wednesday in Minnesota, but weather has forced the games to be played in Fayette.