Upper Iowa continued their recent hot hitting today in Marshall, Minnesota picking up a double header sweep over the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State. The Peacocks won the first game by a 6-4 count before taking the second game 9-3. UIU tallied 27 hits on the day; nine Peacocks tallied at least two hits on the day. 

 

Two big sixth-innings for the visitors gave Upper Iowa control of both games; the team scored four in the first game’s sixth and six in the second game’s.

 

With the wins, the Peacocks are now above .500 with a 16-15 record overall and a 10-8 mark in NSIC play. The team has also now won seven of their last eight games.

 

Detailed accounts of each game can be found below.

 

The Peacocks and Mustangs will be back on the diamond tomorrow at noon for another double header. UIU returns home to Robertson Woods Field on Wednesday to host the Wildcats of Wayne State. First pitch for Wednesday is scheduled for 1 p.m.

 

 

Upper Iowa got on the board first in the top of the second when Matt Smoley led the inning off with a solo homer to left field. 

 

SMSU was able to tie the game in the third thanks to three straight hits, but the UIU defense was able to turn a double play to end the threat. The Mustangs pushed out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth; the home team was looking for more but with runners on the corners and just one out another double play ended the inning.

 

Pat Arntson singled in a run in the fifth to pull the visitors within two, 4-2, and then the Peacocks took the lead in the sixth when they scored four runs on four hits. Juve Reyes drove in a run with an rbi-single to right center and Nick Bergeman tied the game with an rbi-single up the middle. Arntson once again stepped in and delivered a big hit; a single to left that scored two and broke the 4-4 tie.

 

Southwest Minnesota State put a runner on base in the sixth and seventh, but UIU turned their third double play of the game in the seventh to end the game and claim the 6-4 win.

 

Fabian Lopez (5-2) earned the win after throwing a complete game while scattering 8 hits and allowing 4 runs. The righty struck out five while walking three.

 

At the plate, Juve Reyes led the team with three hits, while Arntson and Bergeman each recorded two hits.

 

 

The Mustangs scored a run in the bottom of the first, but the Peacocks were quick to tie the game at one in the top of the second. UIU loaded the bases thanks to a hit batsmen, a single by Matt Corbitt and a walk. Mikey Henrichs, who was hit by a pitch, scored on a wild pitch by the Mustang pitcher.

 

SMSU jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the fourth thanks to a pair of unearned runs that scored on only one hit and a Peacock error. The lead held until the top of the sixth when UIU erupted for six runs on seven hits; all the runs came after they loaded the bases with two outs. Upper Iowa sent eleven batters to the plate in the inning. Kody McCauley hit a two-run single to left and Smoley singled to right to drive the third run in. Henrichs followed with an rbi-double to center and Corbitt knocked two in with a single up the middle for the final two runs of the inning.

 

The Peacocks added a run in the eighth and one more in the ninth to close out their victory by a 9-3 count.

 

Josh McKeon (3-2) was dominant on the mound for UIU and got stronger as the game moved along. The senior struck out 12 Mustangs including six of the final nine batters he faced. McKeon allowed three runs, all of which were unearned, while holding SMSU to five hits while walking only one batter. After the outing, his ERA now stands at 1.71 in his eight starts and 58 innings.

 

Six Peacock bats picked up a pair of hits; they included Bergeman, Casillas, Arntson, McCauley, Henrichs, and Corbitt.