The Peacocks and Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University got together again today for a second double header after Saturday's split. The two teams have been evenly-matched over the years as SMSU entered with a 17-16 advantage in the series since UIU moved up to NCAA Division II. The slim Mustang advantage will remain at least for another year as Upper Iowa and SMSU split a pair of NSIC games on Sunday in Fayette.
The Peacocks won game one 6-3 behind a solid start from
Charley Cunningham, but dropped the second game 9-7 to the Mustangs after the visitors rallied from 4-1 and 7-5 deficits to pull off the win and get the split. Both teams are now 17-21 overall, while SMSU is 10-12 in the NSIC and UIU is 9-15 in the conference.
In game one, Cunningham earned his fourth win of the season with 6 innings pitched. The righthander allowed just two runs on five hits while striking out two Mustangs.
The Peacocks scored an unearned run in the first and added a second run in the fourth inning on an rbi-single by
Adam Budron that plated
Eric Cottrell. UIU held their 2-0 lead until the top of the sixth when the Mustangs were able to cut the lead in half on a double down the left field line by Brandan Alfson.
In the bottom of the sixth, the UIU bats provided some extra support for their starter with four runs on four hits including rbi-singles from
Colton Janssen,
Josh Blake and
Mitch Moser.
After a double to open the top of the seventh, the Peacocks went to the bullpen. SMSU scored a pair of runs in the inning, but Upper Iowa got the outs they need to earn the 6-3 win.
Jake Stenberg had three hits in the game and Budron added a pair to account for half of the Peacocks hits.
UIU wasted little time in scoring runs in the second game pushing a pair of runs across the plate in both the first and second innings to move out to a 4-0 lead. Cottrell hit a two-run double with two outs in the first inning and
Luis Ravelo and Moser each had rbi-singles in the second. Upper Iowa had runners on second and third with only one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.
The Mustangs scored a run in the third on a pair of hits, but Peacock starter
Garrison Becker was able to work out of the inning and jams in the fourth and fifth innings to preserve the home team's 4-1 lead into the sixth inning.
SMSU scored four runs in the fifth though to chase Becker from the mound and take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth. With one out, the Mustangs hit three singles and a bases clearing double by Brian Redemske in succession to fuel the big inning.
Blake Seehusen got UIU out of the inning with a pair of flyball outs.
Upper Iowa tied the ball game up in the bottom of the inning on a sac fly from
Jacob Greco with the bases loaded, but couldn't add anymore as the game would stay tied until the bottom of the eighth.
Matt Banks worked a 1,2,3 inning in the seventh and
Jake Barron got out of a jam in the eighth without surrendering a run to the visitors.
Cody Booker opened the bottom of the eighth with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt by Ravelo. Moser followed with an rbi-single to right field and then came home on a sac fly off of
Alex George's bat.
Following the eight, the Peacocks held a 7-5 lead, but the clouds opened up and the rain began to fall steadily. SMSU scored four runs in the ninth on just two hits thanks to three walks, a hit batsmen and a an error on the infield. UIU's closer
Ross Kulick gave up the runs and the Peacocks turned to
Cody Heiman to get out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts.
UIU trailed 9-7 heading into the bottom of the ninth and got the tying run on base thanks to a pair of walks with one out. A pair of flyouts ended UIU's chance at a comeback and gave SMSU the victory.
The Peacocks will be back on the diamond this Wednesday, Apr. 22, with a double header at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The two teams split a non-conference double header in Fayette earlier this month.
