April 20, 2009
Game One Stats
Game Two Stats
The Upper Iowa baseball team wrapped up a four-game series with Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday as they split another pair of contests to even the weekend series 2-2. The Peacocks were victorious in game one, 6-3, while falling short in the fourth game of the series, 7-5. With the split, the Peacocks move to 17-20 on the season and 11-9 in NSIC play.
Early hitting and solid pitching from junior Lucas Wilsing proved to be the difference in game one as the Peacock bats scored five runs in the first two innings of play. With the bases loaded in the first inning, Wilsing helped his own cause by singling through the right side, scoring Tom Longoni and Jake Duske. Seth Fox advanced to third on the single and scored when Wilsing stole second.
After the Mustangs posted two runs of their own in the top half of the second inning, Upper Iowa rattled off two more runs of their own to extend the lead to 5-2. Catcher Josh McKeon led off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a Kreston Albright double. Duske then sacrificed himself to left field to score McKeon and Longoni singled to right field on the very next play to score Albright.
The Peacocks put across an insurance run in the fourth when Albright sacrificed himself to center field to score McKeon giving UIU a 6-2 advantage. Southwest would score only one more run in the sixth as Upper Iowa took the first game of the doubleheader, 6-3.
Wilsing tallied his fourth win of the season and improved his NSIC record to 3-1 with all four starts ending in complete games. He allowed eight hits while striking out 10 Mustang batters and giving up a pair of walks in the seven innings of work. This was Wilsing's second consecutive win with more than 130 pitches.
Upper Iowa started game two by posting a pair of runs in the first inning. The Peacocks scored both runs on a two-out rally as first baseman Brock Spangenberg singled through the right side to score Fox and Longoni.
But the Peacocks allowed Southwest Minnesota State to plate five runs over the next three innings before gaining a run back in the bottom of the fourth as Duske hit another sacrifice fly out to left field which scored TJ Johnson. At the end of four complete innings, UIU trailed 5-3.
The Peacocks wouldn't get any closer as Southwest scored a run in the fifth and seventh innings and extended their lead to 7-3. Upper Iowa scored two in the final half of the seventh inning, but it wouldn't be enough as Southwest Minnesota State took game two, 7-5.
Peacocks starting pitcher Gavin Mason struck out two while allowing two runs, one earned in two innings of work. Relievers Ryan Lynn and Chris Wlezien pitched one inning each and both allowed two earned runs each. Brad Mey closed out the last three innings for UIU, allowing just three hits and one unearned run.
The Peacocks return to the road this Wednesday as they travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for a NSIC double header with Augustana College. Upper Iowa finds itself in seventh place in the NSIC race while Augustana is currently in eighth place. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
