Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Northern Sun Conference's top dog controlled a pair of baseball games at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette on Thursday afternoon.  The #9 Huskies of St. Cloud State University swept the first two games of a four-game series as the home team in Fayette.  The "visiting" Peacocks lost game one 8-2 despite only allowing one earned run in the contest and then dropped a 12-2 decision in game two in an affair shortened to seven innings due to the NSIC run rule.  The four-game series was originally slated to be played in St. Cloud, Minn., but snow in Minnesota on Wednesday did not allow St. Cloud State to remain at home.  With the losses, UIU falls to 9-14 overall and 2-10 in the NSIC, while SCSU improved to 27-6 overall and 16-3 in the conference.

Game One

St. Cloud State put a run on the board in the first and second inning of game one to an early 2-0 lead.  The run in the first came on a pair of Husky hits and two Peacock errors, while the run in the second was the only run in the first game that was earned.

In the third inning, the Huskies broke the game open with five unearned runs as another pair of miscues led to a crooked number on the scoreboard.  All the runs came across the plate after the second out of the inning.  Zack Hoffman and Karl Sorensen picked up rbi's and Eric Loxtercamp plated two runners.  The runs chased UIU's starter Brett Fanning as he gave way to Dan Cwertniak in relief. 

Upper Iowa got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning cutting the lead to 7-2.  Mitch Moser opened the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second when Tyler Adams singled through the left side.  After a wild pitch, the Peacocks had two runners in scoring position.  Jose Aguirre picked up an rbi on a groundout as Moser came home.  UIU's second run came to a Husky error on the infield that allowed Adams to cross the plate.

St. Cloud State picked up one final unearned run in the sixth inning without a hit.  A leadoff walk paired with two errors allowed Brandon Arnold to score SCSU's last run and push the lead to 8-2.

Kyle Fischer (6-1) earned the win throwing five innings while allowing just one hit and striking out three. 

Fanning (1-2) took the loss for UIU with three innings allowing seven runs including six unearned runs.  Cwertniak threw well in relief allowing just one unearned run over three innings while striking out two batters and giving up just one hit.

At the plate, UIU managed just three hits in the game.

Game Two

St. Cloud State scored two early runs in game two, but Peacock starter Martin Valdez shut the door on what could have been a big first inning.  With the bases loaded and one out in the first, the southpaw got back-to-back strikeouts and then sat six more Huskies down without a hit in succession. 

While Valdez seemed to have control of the game on the mound, the Peacocks began to find their swing at the plate.  With one out, three straight singles by Adams, Aguirre and Sam Kortes put a run on the board and left runners on first and second.  Ryan Citro hit a laser out to left field, but a solid defensive play by Brandon Arnold robbed Citro of a big hit with a jumping grab on the run.  Jacob Stenberg kept the rally going with a single to load the bases, but SCSU squashed the threat on a grounder.

Just as UIU had cut the lead in half, 2-1, St. Cloud State got that run back in the fourth  thanks to a leadoff single and a double to left centerfield by Cody Rutledge to regain their two-run advantage.

The Huskies added three more runs in the fifth inning to move out to a 6-1 lead and chase UIU's lefty off the mound. 

UIU scored one run in the sixth cutting the gap to 6-2 when Ryan Citro singled and moved to third on a double to the right centerfield gap by Stenberg.  Eric Cottrell sent a grounder to the right side forcing Citro to the plate.

In the sixth, the Huskies blew the game open as UIU needed a trio of pitchers to get out of the inning.  SCSU scored six runs on six hits including a pair of two-run singles by Reese Gregory and Zack Hoffman. 

After UIU was unable to crack the ten-run defecit in the top of the seventh the game ended early due to the NSIC run-rule.

Valdez took the loss for UIU falling to 1-4 this season, while Corey Fitzgerald picked up the win for the Huskeis to move to 6-0.

The Upper Iowa offense came up with 10 hits in the second game off one of the NSIC's best.  Fitzgerald came in allowing opposing hitters to less than a .200 average; UIU hit .322 in their 31 at bats, but struggled to come up with the big hit with runners on base.

Adams singled three times in game two raising his average up to .479 thanks to a 4-7 day at the plate.  Stenberg also had a multi-hit game with a pair of basehits.

Next Up

The Peacocks and #9 Huskies will head back to the diamond Friday at noon.  Follow the action live at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette or online (audio / live stats) through the links at http://www.upperiowaathletics.com/coverage.aspx.