April 18, 2008

Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score

The Peacock baseball team closed out its longest home stand of the season this past Tuesday as they played host to the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside in a non-conference double header. Upper Iowa split the twin bill with Parkside dropping the first game, 5-3, before exploding in the second game to take the victory, 16-1.

The Peacocks struggled to put runs on the scoreboard early in the first game as they left the bases loaded in the first and second innings before finding the scoreboard in the third. The Peacocks loaded the bases in the second with no outs, but the three UIU batters struck out in a row to retire the side and keep the game scoreless.

The first of the three runs in the third came off the bat of Seth Fox, who reached on a fielder's choice to score Brock Spangenberg. The next batter, Erik Sorensen, then doubled down the left field line to drive in Seth Fox and Lucas Wilsing, which gave the Peacocks an early 3-0 lead.

After three more scoreless innings, the Rangers tied the game in the sixth. After recording a leadoff walk, Parkside's shortstop Michael Pena homered to left field with no outs in the inning. The Rangers added an unearned run later in the inning to level the score at 3-3.

The Peacocks went 1-2-3 in the sixth and the Rangers picked up where they left off scoring two runs with two outs in the seventh to take their first lead of the game. Upper Iowa couldn't rally in their half of the seventh after leaving two more Peacocks on base and dropped the contest 5-3.

Senior Andy Seabrooke was charged with the loss after a solid effort on the mound. Seabrooke went 6.2 innings scattering five hits while striking out seven. The Peacock offense struggled with runners on base; they left nine runner stranded for the game. Erik Sorensen recorded two rbi's during in the first game while going one for two at the plate and walking once. Seth Fox registered the only other rbi for UIU; he also scored a run while hitting one for three at the plate. Spangenberg went one for three at the plate, scored a run, and walked once.

The Peacocks came out in the second game hitting on all cylinders as they ripped off 16 runs on 17 hits while handing UW-Parkside a 16-1 loss.

After a scoreless first for Parkside, the Upper Iowa raced out to a 5-0 lead. The breakout started at the top of the order as third baseman Nick Fjelland singled through the right side to score Jarrod Esquibel, who led off the inning with a double to left field. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Fjelland scored thanks to a Spangenberg sac-fly to center. After Fox singled to left to score Brett Cleveringa, the Peacocks finished the inning with a two-run homerun off the bat of Mitch McClay. The long ball was the first of McClay's college career.

The Peacock bats put another run on the board in the second. Esquibel reached on error to lead off the inning and later scored when Spangenberg reached on an error by the shortstop. The run pushed the UIU lead to 6-0.

Following an uneventful third inning, the Rangers finally found the board in the fourth as Peacock starter Lucas Wilsing walked in a run. However, the Peacocks put another five runs on the board in their half of the fourth. Three of the runs came on a Seth Fox homerun to left field scoring Cleveringa and Tom Longoni. At the end of four, Upper Iowa led 11-1. The dinger by Fox was his fourth on the season.

After a Ranger 1-2-3 inning, the Peacocks put their final five runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth. The scoring began when Longoni reached on an error by the shortstop, plating Esquibel with an unearned run. Fjelland then scored as Cleveringa reached on an error by the second baseman. Longoni came across the plate as Fox singled to right center. Travis Mather pinch hit for Sorensen and knocked in Jeff House with a single up the middle. Ryan Arp closed out the scoring for Upper Iowa in the inning and the game with a single that ricocheted off the pitcher and scored Cleveringa to give UIU a 16-1 lead.

The game remained scoreless over the final innings as Upper Iowa improved to 16-20 on the season. Wilsing picked up his third win of the season throwing four innings, while allowing one run on four hits. Reliever Joe Dieterle pitched three innings allowing just a pair of hits and no runs.

Fox had a solid game two at the plate going four-for-four while driving in five runs and scoring twice. Fjelland recorded a three-hit game picking up an rbi and scoring three runs. Esquibel scored four of the Peacock runs and tallied a two hits at the plate.

The Peacocks will now take to the road for a pair of games against Minnesota State on Wednesday. The Peacocks split with the Mavericks last Wednesday, Apr. 9, in Fayette. This weekend, Upper Iowa will travel to Marshall, Minnesota for a big four-game conference series with the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State. The first pitch for Saturday's action is scheduled for 1 p.m., while Sunday's games will start at noon.