Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 In a doubleheader that was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday afternoon in Sioux Falls, S.D., Upper Iowa took on Augustana Tuesday in Fayette. In two tightly contested games, the Vikings swept the Peacocks with two walk-off victories and improved to 22-15 overall and 10-6 in the Northern Sun. UIU fell to 10-13 on the 2013 campaign including 2-4 in NSIC play. 

Game 1 Recap

With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth and two outs, Augustana had the bases loaded and in stepped Jake Petersen. Petersen proceeded to lace a double off the right field wall which allowed a run to score and gave the Vikings a game one win, 7-6.

AC put up a crooked number in their half of the first inning to take an early 5-0 lead against Eric Anderson. At the plate though, the Peacocks came to life scoring six unanswered runs.

In the top of the third, Cody Heiman was hit by a pitch to start things off and Tyler Adams followed him with a single to left field. A single right back up the middle off the bat of Jimmy Pinakidis loaded up the bases for red-hot Mikey Henrichs. The senior third baseman reached with a base on balls forcing in Heiman from third. Andrew Kraus then roped a single through the right side pushing across Adams. The third run crossed the dish thanks to an RBI groundout from John Dobson.

Upper Iowa brought across another in their half of the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Kraus to score Henrichs.

UIU took their first lead of the game in the sixth frame scoring two more runs to go up 6-5.

Adams walked with one out and then stole second. On the slide into second base, the throwdown from the catcher hit Adams in the helmet and rolled into left field allowing the junior to move to third. The next batter, Pinakidis, reached on an error by the center fielder pushing Adams across home plate. Pinakidis then scored all the way from first on an RBI double from Henrichs. 

Augustana scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to take it into extra innings before winning it in the eighth. 

The starter Anderson lasted only one inning and gave up five earned runs on two hits while walking four and striking out one.

In relief, Dan Cwertniak (pictured) shined bright. The right-hander threw six innings of one-run baseball on five hits while giving up three walks and striking out four Viking batters. 

Tanner Funke (0-3) took the loss after retiring just one batter and giving up the game-winning run.

Game 2 Recap
 
This time it was Upper Iowa who jumped ahead in the early going. The Peacocks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning after RBI groundouts from Henrichs and Kraus. UIU would rely on senior starter Rory Kolo to take over from there.
 
Kolo cruised through the first nine Augie hitters, allowing just one hit in a span of three innings. He got some help from his offense in the top of the third when Jose Aguirre hit an RBI single to center to score Henrichs. With a 3-0 lead, it looked as though it would be Upper Iowa’s game to win.
 
However the Vikings finally found an answer in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Brian Duxbury hit what seemed to be a routine ground ball to third. Henrichs scooped it up and tried to get the 5-4-3 double play, but his throw went off the glove of second basemen Samuel Kortes and squirted into right field. The Vikings cut the lead to 3-1 with the error on Upper Iowa. Augie would leave the bases loaded when Kolo recorded his fourth strikeout of the afternoon.
 
Upper Iowa got that run back in the sixth inning when Eric Anderson hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score the tagging Aguirre. But once again, the Vikings would start a comeback in the final two innings.
 
Back-to-back doubles in the sixth from Jack Goihl and Kye Winter cut the UIU lead to 4-3. Kolo stayed in the game in the seventh inning in an attempt to grind out the complete game win.
 
The bottom of the seventh began with two straight singles for Augustana. Petersen then pushed a gorgeous bunt through the right side of the infield with no defenders around the ball. Nate Hewes tried scoring from second base, but was gunned down by Ryan Citro who raced to the opposite side of the field to make what was thought to be the game-saving play. However, four batters later with the bases loaded and two outs, Alex Fink muscled a single to right field scoring the tying and game-winning runs for the Vikings, their second walk-off in as many games.
 
John Dobson led the way for UIU with two hits in his three at-bats. Henrichs, Krauss, Aguirre and Anderson each picked up an RBI as well. Kolo dropped to 1-3 on the season with the loss, while Grant Larson improved to 4-4 with the win.
 
Kolo pitched 6.2 innings allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 10 hits while striking out 4 and walking 2. Larson went just 1.1 innings, but went 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to earn the win.

Next up, Upper Iowa is home against the Beavers of Bemidji State this Saturday and Sunday. First pitch Saturday is set for 1 p.m. while Sunday's twinbill will begin at noon. The games were scheduled to be played in Bemidji, Minn. but were moved to Fayette because of the condition of the field.