April 15, 2009
Game One Stats
Game Two Stats
The Upper Iowa baseball team played a pair of Northern Sun Conference games in Winona, Minn. to face the Warriors of Winona State. The Peacocks took both games in Fayette last week in the first meeting between these two teams. Winona State held the Peacocks scoreless in game one to pick up an 8-0 decision, but Upper Iowa got the winning run in game two on a sac fly to split the day with the Warriors. After the split the Peacocks move to 15-18 overall and 9-7 in the NSIC.
In game one, Winona State starter Ross Hellenbrand controlled the Peacock lineup on the way to a big win. UIU threatened in the fourth when they loaded the bases with no out, but a line out and a double play ended the inning. Hellenbrand improved to 7-1 after limiting UIU to just 7 hits. Gavin Mason took the loss to even his record at 2-2 after allowing five runs on six hits.
In the second game, Upper Iowa was on the board first in the top of the fourth. The Peacocks took a 2-0 lead thanks to three straight singles to load the bases and then T.J. Johnson stepped up and singled through the right side to drive in two Peacock runs. After the Warriors retook the lead in the bottom of the inning, 3-2, Erik Sorensen led off the fifth with a single at third and scored when Seth Fox hit a single up the middle.
Upper Iowa scored their fourth and final run of the game long after starting pitcher Ronnie Sweeney had taken himself out of action. The UIU win came thanks to a sac fly by Lucas Wilsing that plated Tom Longoni for the gamewinner. Fox (3 hits), Spangenberg (2), and Wilsing (2) were good at the plate for Upper Iowa combining for 7 hits in the second game.
The surprise of game two was Justin Manson. After Sweeney only lasted through the first inning, he was pulled in favor of Manson. The right hander threw 6 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 2 hits while striking out 8 Warriors. Manson picked up the win for his efforts.
The Peacocks will be back at home this Saturday and Sunday with a four-game Northern Sun series against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State. The Peacocks and Mustangs are set to open play at 1 p.m. on the 18th and noon on the 19th.
