May 3, 2008

Game One Box Score || Game Two Box Score

• Recap Written by Brian Larson, SID University of Mary
• Small Additions by Upper Iowa Sports Information

Bismarck, ND - Upper Iowa University scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning of game two to dash the University of Mary hopes of a split as the Peacocks rallied to defeat the Marauders 10-5 in Northern Sun play. The second-place Peacocks also pulled out a win in game one, 6-5.

Upper Iowa kept their hopes alive for their first Northern Sun Conference Championship with the two victories. Wayne State and Bemidji State split their double header, which left the Wildcats (22-6) ahead of the Peacocks (23-7) by .019 percentage points in the NSIC title race.

The two losses today means the Marauders will need some help in order to make the Northern Sun playoffs. As U-Mary enters the final day of Northern Sun regular season play on Sunday against Upper Iowa, if the Marauders to sweep the Peacocks, they will need to combine the wins with losses by Bemidji State and/or Southwest Minnesota State. U-Mary entered the weekend tied for fifth in the NSIC. The top six teams advance to the conference tournament next week.

After the Peacocks took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a five hit inning that started with a Brock Spangenberg homerun to left. U-Mary rallied with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth and retook the lead 4-3. However, two mistakes in the top of the sixth allowed the Peacocks to tie the game as a wild pickoff throw and a passed ball combined to give UIU a run.

Nate Watson put the Marauders back in front when he hit a leadoff home run in the sixth. His second round tripper of the season put U-Mary back in front 5-4 heading to the seventh inning. The lead wouldn't hold for the Marauders though. Three straight hits by UIU to open the top of the seventh pushed the Peacocks to a 6-5 lead with pinch hitter Tom Longoni providing the go-ahead hit. After a two-out error by U-Mary, the Peacocks tacked on four more runs to put the game out of reach. Only four of UIU's ten runs scored were earned as U-Mary committed four errors and had a passed ball.

Chris Wlezien improved his record to 4-0 in relief of starter Brad Mey in game two. Mey threw 5 innings while allowing four runs, three were earned, on six hits. The southpaw struck out three Marauders. Wlezien came in and picked up two innings for the win while he allowed just one run on three hits.

In the opener, the Marauders battled from behind all game. Upper Iowa struck for three runs in the top of the first, capped by a two-run home run by designated hitter Lucas Wilsing.

The Marauders would rally for two in the third inning, but the Peacocks scored twice in the fifth to push their lead out to 5-2. The Marauders cut the Peacock lead to 5-4 with two more runs in the sixth.

Kreston Albright hit for the cycle when he led off the seventh by hitting a home run to push UIU's lead to two runs, 6-4. Albright was 4-for-4 with a single, double, triple and home run, scoring three runs and driving in two.

U-Mary put together a promising rally in the bottom of the seventh, but a base running gaffe cost the Marauders cost U-Mary a chance to tie. Dan Eichle hit a one-out pinch hit single. Ryan Lee would follow with a double and got trapped off second base when pinch runner Eric Cantwell stopped at third. Lee tried to go back to second and was tagged out as Cantwell dashed for home to close U-Mary to within one run. Peacocks pitcher Brian Solemsaas then struck out the next U-Mary batter to finish the game and gain a complete game victory for UIU.

The complete game victory was Solemsaas' fourth straight complete game victory. Over the 28 innings of work, the Bismarck, N.D. native has only allowed 9 earned runs. Solemsaas picked up his seventh complete game of the season in his hometown.

Upper Iowa, the #6 team in the Central Region, is 28-23 overall and 23-7 in conference play, while the Marauders fall to 16-30 overall and 13-15 in the NSIC.

The two teams close out the regular season with a doubleheader on Sunday, May 4. First pitch is set for 12 noon.