Upper Iowa took three of four games this past weekend from the Marauders of U-Mary, but lost two games at #11 St. Cloud State University on Tuesday night. The first game against the Huskies was a 1-0 hard fought loss in which starter Brett Westra allowed only one unearned run in the bottom of the first inning in his best effort of the season. The Peacocks stand at 14-18 in the NSIC and sit in eighth place in the current standings. Upper Iowa will need help, but still has a shot at claiming the sixth and final spot in the Northern Sun Conference Tournament next week. 

 

Upper Iowa will have to sweep their four-game series with Northern State in Aberdeen, South Dakota this Saturday and Sunday and hope for Minnesota Duluth to lose at least two games to Minnesota, Crookston and Concordia St. Paul to lose at least three games at #11 St. Cloud State. Live stats for the Upper Iowa - Northern State series are available at UpperIowaAthletics.com.

 

 

Josh McKeon made the most of his final action at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette last Saturday. The senior righthander dominated the U-Mary hitters with a three hit, seven strikeout, complete game shutout. With the shutout, McKeon lowered his impressive ERA to 1.76 for the season and improved to 4-3 overall. In NSIC games, McKeon is 3-2 with a 1.18 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 45.2 innings. The shutout was his second of the season. He now has 86 strikouts for the season and the Upper Iowa record is within reach, albeit a long reach. Randy Donisthorpe holds the record with 101 in 1995.

 

The Wolves are in tenth place in the NSIC with a 9-15 mark in conference games. NSU has lost five of their last seven games after posting a five-game win streak.

 

Northern State is led by Michael Cross (.330), Jose Figueroa (.324) and Jack Thompson (.309) at the plate, while Thane Lees (2.49 ERA), Sean Winslow (4.76) and Trent Bestland (6.18) pace the pitching staff.

 

As a team, the Wolves are hitting .261 this season with a slugging percentage of .353. On the mound, the staff has an ERA of 7.19 in 230.1 innings.

 

As a team... the Peacocks are third in hits (439)... fifth in rbi (221)... third in doubles (10), fifth in homeruns (20)... second in total plate appearances (1724)... first in at bats (1493)... first in at bats (57)... second in stolen bases (58)... sixth in ERA (5.09)... first in innings pitched (367.2)... third in strikeouts (290)... fifth in strikeouts/game (7.10)... third in fielding percentage (.962).

 

Individually at the plate... Nick Bergeman (4th-57), Rudy Casillas (5th-56) and Pat Arntson (8th-55) are all in the top ten in hits... Bergeman is third in triples (3)... Arntson is tenth in total bases (73)... Bergeman is eighth in walks (21)... Matt Smoley is third in hit batsmen (8) and Taylor Brecht and Will Loza are tied for sixth (7)... Arntson is fourth in sac flies (5)... Casillas is second in stolen bases (16) and Matt Corbitt and Bergeman are tied for sixth (12).

 

Individually on the mound... Josh McKeon is third in ERA (1.76)... McKeon (2nd-.186) and Matt Treybig (7th-.227) are in the top ten for opponent batting average... McKeon is first in innings pitched (71.2) and Treybig is tied for third (60.1)... McKeon is leading the NSIC in strikeouts (86) and Treybig is fifth (58)... Mario Madera is fourth in saves (3) and second in appearances (15)... McKeon is tied for first in games started (11)... McKeon and Fabian Lopez are first and second in innings per game at 7.17 and 6.81 respectively.

 

In the field... Casillas is first in assists (120) and sixth in fielding double plays (19)... Loza is second in catching stolen base attempts (11) and Mikey Henrichs is fifth (9).