March 20, 2008
Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score
Upper Iowa's baseball team won game one today 8-7 in a see-saw battle with Concordia-St. Paul. Brian Putnam picked up the win in relief with three innings of work. Brock Spangenberg picked up the game winning rbi's in the sixth inning. The Golden Bears spoiled a great outing by Greg Sieck in game two by scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. UIU entered the final inning leading 2-0, but could not hold on as they attempted to take the series 3-1. The Concordia team salvalged a split with the late inning rally. Both teams find themselves in an early season tie for second place in the Northern Sun after the two day split.
In game one, Concordia opened the bottom of the first with a leadoff homerun as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead. The Peacocks took the lead in the top of the third inning with a pair of runs. Erik Sorensen led the inning off with a single and stole second. The UIU shortstop scored on a throwing error as Kreston Albright reached base. After a single and a hit batsmen, Upper Iowa had the bases loaded with one out. Albright scampered home on a T.J. Johnson sacrifice fly to center.
The Golden Bears stormed right back with a pair of runs. In the bottom of the third used three hits including one double to retake the lead 3-2. Concordia added their fourth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded and two outs on a single up the middle.
Upper Iowa woke up their bats in the top of the first retaking the lead 5-4. Albright led off the inning with a double. After both Nick Fjelland and Marcus Thompson walked, UIU had the bases loaded with no outs. Johnson stepped to the plate and worked a walk to push one run across the plate. Lucas Wilsing then stood in the batter's box and lined a single to left center that plated two more Peacocks.
Concordia, once again, would not let Upper Iowa hold the lead for long. In the bottom of the fifth, the home team scored another three runs to get back in front 7-5. The Peacocks defense turned a double play and grabbed a line out to close out the inning before more damage could be done.
The Peacocks refused to go away and rapped out five hits in the top of the sixth to take an 8-7 lead. Albright singled to left with one out and advanced to second on a Fjelland single. With two outs, Johnson singled to left and drove in Albright. Wilsing then singled sharply to left to load the bases. Spangenberg came to the plate looking to deliver for the Peacocks. The UIU first baseman singled down the left field line to drive in Fjelland and Thompson.
Brian Putnam, who took the mound during the fifth inning, shut down the Golden Bear bats over his three innings. Putnam allowed two hits while striking out one to earn his second win in as many appearances.
In game two junior Greg Sieck climbed the hill for the Peacocks in his first start for the Upper Iowa and the lefthander threw a gem. Sieck scattered three hits over the first six innings of the game while holding the Golden Bear offense scoreless. While Sieck was dominating on the mound, the Peacock offense racked up some hits but had some trouble stringing them together to push runs across. Upper Iowa scored their first run in the top of the second inning. Wilsing doubled to right field to open the inning and moved to third when Ronnie Kurihara singled to center. Wilsing scored as Concordia turned a double play to give UIU a 1-0 lead.
The Peacocks added a second run in the top of the seventh. Kurihara led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Sorensen sacrifice bunt. The UIU catcher scored when Seth Fox doubled down the right field line. The Peacocks were unable to bring Fox home and add to their lead.
The visitors went to the last half inning leading 2-0. After a walk and a strikeout, Sieck hit a batter to put runners on first and second with one out. The Peacocks turned to Putnam to shut the door for the third time in the series. Putnam hit the first batter he faced to load the bases. The next Golden Bear batter, Joe Abellera, hit a double to right past a diving Thompson. Two runs scored to tie the game and left runners on second and third. Putnam intentionally walked one to load the bases and set up force outs at every base, but Chris Herbert sent a single up the middle to score the winning run for the Golden Bears.
The Peacock baseball team will travel to Wayne, Nebraska to face perennial NSIC baseball power Wayne State in a four game set on March 29 and 30. The Saturday double header will begin at 1 p.m. and the Sunday double header will begin at 12 p.m. The four game series with North Dakota set for this coming Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday has been cancelled due to weather.
