Upper Iowa remained in seventh place in the Northern Sun standings after a split with the University of Mary this afternoon. The Peacocks won the first ballgame with a walkoff single that gave UIU a 4-3 win. In the second game, UIU’s pitchers struggled in the opening innings and U-Mary claimed an 8-3 decision. Five seniors were honored between games for their work in the Peacock blue and white over the last four years.  Those honored included Josh McKeon, Kody McCauley, Nick Bergeman, Luis Rodriguez and Brett Cleveringa.

 

In game one, the Peacocks took advantage of four errors on the Marauders’ starter Matt Medeiros on failed pickoff attempts. The errors gave way to all four runs for Upper Iowa and all were unearned. U-Mary scored a run in the first and one in the second, but the home team rallied with a pair of runs in the second when two of the failed pickoffs occurred. Following the first errant thrown Mikey Henrichs moved to third and came home on a rbi-ground out by Matt Corbitt. The second run scored on the second failed pickoff of the inning.

 

The Peacocks moved out to a 3-2 lead in the fifth, following U-Mary’s third bad throw, this time to second base. Taylor Brecht and Nick Bergeman hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Brecht moved to third on the errant throw and came home as the Marauders were turning a double play on a grounder to short. U-Mary tied the game in the sixth and had an opportunity for more, but Peacock starter Matt Treybig stepped to the challenge and recorded the final two outs with two runners in scoring position on a pair of strikeouts.

 

Upper Iowa scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh with one out. Luis Rodriguez singled and moved to third on the final failed pickoff. After Taylor Brecht reached on a bunt single and stole second to eliminate U-Mary’s double play option, Nick Bergeman singled up the middle to plate Rodriguez and give the home team the victory 4-3.

 

Treybig (4-4) earned his fourth win of the year with his fifth complete game of the year. The righty allowed three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits while striking out seven Marauders. Medeiros suffered the loss, but threw 6.1 innings while limiting the Peacock bats to seven hits while recording five strikeouts.

 

In the second game, U-Mary put three runs on the board in the first taking advantage of four walks, a single to right and a passed ball. Upper Iowa got one run back in their half of the first when Rudy Casillas singled with one out and stole second; Casillas was pushed home when Pat Arntson sent a line drive over the head of the second baseman for an rbi. 

 

The Marauders pushed two more across in the third to move out to a 5-1 lead. The first run came thanks to a leadoff walk, sac bunt, and throwing error on the Peacocks’ third basemen. The second run came on an rbi-single following the error that allowed the batter to reach third.

 

Upper Iowa loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. Juve Reyes pushed one run across with a fielder’s choice grounder and left runners on the corners with two outs for game one’s hero Bergeman. Bergeman worked a walk to load the bases again. Casillas delivered an rbi-single through the left side to pull the Peacocks within two, 5-3, but the inning ended on a hard liner caught by U-Mary’s shortstop.

 

U-Mary scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning and only recorded one hit thanks to two walks and a hit batsmen. The Marauders took advantage of the UIU control problems and three wild pitches/passed balls combined. The seven runs scored by U-Mary through the first five innings came with just three hits at the plate.

 

The Peacocks put runners on the corners in the fifth with one out, but the visitors turned an inning-ended double play on a slow bouncer to short. 

 

U-Mary extended their lead to five runs in the eighth when they scored an unearned run as the Peacock defense misfired on a relay throw back to second.

 

Reid Jungling (3-2) earned the victory with his third complete game of the season holding the UIU bats to just three runs while scattering ten hits and striking out four. 

 

UIU’s Eric Anderson (1-4) took the loss after lasting only four innings in his start; he allowed five runs, only two earned, on a pair of hits and six walks while striking out four batters. Cole Hanson allowed two runs in facing three batters, before giving way to Mario Madera. Madera threw well in his five innings of relief. Madera allowed just one unearned run on four hits while striking out two Marauders.

 

Upper Iowa (20-24, 14-16 NSIC) will play their final six regular season games on the road beginning this Tuesday at St. Cloud State University with a double header at 4 p.m. The Peacocks regular season will wrap in Aberdeen, S.D. next Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8, when UIU faces the Wolves of Northern State University.