Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 After a three and a half hour delay that turned into a cancellation yesterday, Upper Iowa was hopeful that they would get some games in on Robertson Woods Field Sunday afternoon.  But another three hour delay put that hope in jeapordy.  Thanks to warm temperatures, a strong wind and constant attention to the infield by the baseball team, the field was deemed playable for a double header.

The Peacocks claimed a 5-2 victory in game one behind the bat of Tyler Adams and the left arm of Martin Valdez.  In the second game and quite-literal "nitecap" of the day, Bemidji State edged out UIU 4-3 to split the pair of Northern Sun Conference games.

Game One Recap (UIU 5-2)

The Beavers used three hits in the first inning to touch up UIU's ace from a season ago for two runs.  Upper Iowa wasted little time in getting the runs back with three hits of their own in the opening frame.  Jose Aguirre and Ryan Citro both earned rbi-singles to tie the game.

In the second inning, the Peacocks scored two runs after getting a quick two outs.  Sam Kortes walked and stole second before Adams chased him to the plate with a home run down the line in left field for an opposite field bomb.

UIU tacked on a final run in the third inning after loading the bases with no outs.  Bemidji State traded a run for a groundball double play giving the Peacocks their 5-2 lead.

The runs were more than enough for UIU's southpaw.  Valdez buckled down after the first inning retiring 15 straight batters at one point as the Beavers went from the second inning until the sixth without recording a hit.  The senior scattered six hits over his complete game (7 innings) while allowing just the two runs in the first inning and striking out three batters.

At the plate, Adams, Aguirre and Dobson all had a pair of hits as the three, four and five spots in the lineup went 6-9 at the plate.

Game Two Recap (BSU 4-3 (8))

Upper Iowa scratched the scoreboard in the first inning of game two when Adams doubled to plate Cody Booker, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch.

Bemidji State was able to bounce back and take the lead in the third inning thanks to three hits including a pair of rbi-singles from Joey Hanowski and Zach Braun.

The Peacocks tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Adams led off with his second homerun of the day to leftfield.  

BSU retook the lead, 3-2, with a run in the sixth inning when Jake Braun walked with the bases loaded.  The Beavers added an insurance run in the eighth inning when a pickoff throw to second went into centerfield with runners on second and third and two outs.

Trailing 4-2 and running out of daylight, UIU came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth knowing it would be their last chance.  Booker was hit by a pitch for the second time and UIU caught a break when a grounder by Adams found its way through the infield thanks to a Beaver error that gave UIU runners on the corners with no outs. Aguirre drove Booker in to pull the Peacocks within one, 4-3, and still with no outs.   The runners advanced to second and third with one out after a grounder to the right side, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat and stranded the tying and winning runs in scoring position.

Mason Buster took the loss for UIU with 5.1 innings of work; he allowed 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out a pair of Beavers.  Anthony Ruden came on in relief and picked up 2.2 innings allowing a run on two hits and two walks.

At the dish, the Peacocks managed only three hits; two were by Adams and one from Aguirre.

Next Up

The Peacocks are scheduled to play against the #4 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato on Wednesday, Apr. 2, at 1 p.m. in Fayette.