April 21, 2008
Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score
After sweeping Saturday's doubleheader, Upper Iowa returned to Alumni Field in Marshall, Minnesota on Sunday to play the final pair of the four-game set with Southwest Minnesota State. Upper Iowa split Sunday's series with the Mustangs taking three out of the four games on the weekend. The Peacocks won the first game 4-2 behind the third solid starting pitching performance of the weekend. The visitors dropped the final game of the series 6-2. The Peacocks remain in second place in the conference with a 15-7 record in NSIC action.
In game one, a pitcher's duel became evident as the game went by inning by inning without any runs crossing the plate. In the sixth inning, Upper Iowa posted four runs to break the deadlock. Brock Spangenberg singled down the left field line scoring Marcus Thompson and Nick Fjelland. Erik Sorensen also scored on the same play as the left fielder made a fielding error. The error extended the inning for T.J. Johnson, who belted a single to center field to score Spangenberg. The break out inning gave the Peacocks a 4-0 lead.
Greg Sieck continued to confuse the Mustang hitters as he set them down in the bottom of the inning. After going 1-2-3 in the top half of the seventh, Sieck was prepared to strand a runner on second and end the ballgame for his second straight complete game shutout, but a dropped third strike allowed the Mustangs to extend the inning. After two runs scored the home team had the tying run at the plate. UIU turned to Chris Wlezien to close out the game, which he did with a strikeout to end the threat and preserve the 4-2 Peacock victory.
Sieck picked up his third win of the season. The southpaw scattered four hits while allowing two unearned runs and striking out six. Wlezien finished out the final third of an inning for his second save of the season.
Spangenberg led all UIU hitters at the plate going one-for-three at the plate, scoring a run, and driving in two. Johnson also went one-for-three at the plate and scored a run while driving in one as well.
After taking the first three games of the series against the Mustangs, Upper Iowa dropped the fourth contest 6-2. Southwest jumped out the gates early in the fourth game as they raced out to an early 2-0 lead after the first two innings.
Upper Iowa pushed a run across in the third inning as third baseman Nick Fjelland singled to right field scoring Jarrod Esquibel. The home team would not let the momentum turn. In the bottom half of the third, the Peacocks gave up four more runs on six hits. The big inning stretched the Mustang lead to 6-1.
Although the Peacocks held Southwest Minnesota scoreless for the remainder of the game, Upper Iowa could only force one more run across the plate. In the fourth inning, Spangenberg scored on a single by Seth Fox. The visitors dropped the final game of the weekend by a 6-2 count.
The Southwest bats finally got to the Upper Iowa pitching staff as starting pitcher Marshall Rogne recorded only one out, while giving up a run on two hits and walking a pair of batters before being replaced by Gavin Mason. Mason threw 1.2 innings giving up a run on three hits. Mitch McClay then came in for an inning of relief giving up four runs on six hits before being replaced by Joe Dieterle. Dieterle pitched the remaining three innings giving up just two hits and not allowing a run.
The Peacock baseball team will be in action again this Wednesday, Apr. 23, as they travel to Bemidji, Minnesota to battle the Beavers of Bemidji State University. The doubleheader with the Beavers will begin at 1 p.m. and can be heard online at ListentotheBeavers.com.
