The Peacocks and Beavers of Minot State University split a pair of Northern Sun Conference baseball games today at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette.  Minot State (4-11, 1-1 NSIC) took the first game 10-2 thanks to seven runs over the final two innings, while Upper Iowa (5-8, 1-1 NSIC) bounced back with a 14-4 victory in seven innings in game two.
 
The Beavers got out to an early 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first inning and one more in the second frame.  UIU finally got on the board with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning to cut the margin to just one run, 3-2.  Cody Booker walked to open the inning and stole second.  With two outs in the inning, Colton Janssen reached on a throwing error and then advanced to third while Booker scored.  Janssen came home on a wild pitch to pull UIU within one.
 
Minot State put the game away with seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings to claim a 10-2 victory.
 
Austin Berntson (2-1) got the win for the Beavers with 6 innings of work; he allowed the 2 unearned runs on 3 hits, while striking out 10 Peacocks.  Jordan Schulz and Sean Alp each picked up two hits in the game for Minot State.
 
Zach Carstens (0-1) took the loss after going 5.1 innings and allowing 7 runs on just 5 hits, but control issues proved to be too much for Carstens to overcome.  The senior walked 7 and hit 2 batters; although, he did get 6 strikeouts.
 
At the plate, Booker reached all four times to the plate with three hit batsmen and one walk.  UIU only managed three hits including a double from Mitch Moser and singles by Jake Greco and Anthony Calton.
 
In the second game, the Peacock bats came alive as the team scored in each of the seven innings played.  Upper Iowa two runs in the first and second innings, added a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings and then exploded for three runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to end the game early due to the NSIC's run-rule.
 
In the first inning, Alex George drove in a run with a ground out and Janssen doubled to right center to plate George.  Luis Ravelo hit an rbi-triple in the second inning and Booker drove in the second run of the inning with a ground out.  After back-to-back doubles by Eric Cottrell and George, Janssen pushed Cottrell home with a ground out.
 
Minot State scored two in the top of the fourth inning to cut the gap to 5-2, but UIU answered with a run in the bottom of the frame after Booker was hit by a pitch for the fourth time on the day and came home when Moser tripled to left center field. 
 
Jacob Stenberg scored in the fifth inning after a throwing error allowed him to reach and a wild pitch let the Peacock catcher come home.  In the sixth inning, Calton came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs.  UIU's left fielder hit a single to right field that scored two and then a misplay in right cleared the bases and left Calton on third base.
 
The Beavers got two runs back in the seventh inning highlighted by a homerun to left by Taylor Williamson cutting UIU's lead to 10-4.
 
Upper Iowa put the nightcap away in the bottom of the seventh with four runs on just two hits.  The Peacocks scored their first run on a George single that scored Moser and then added two more when Janssen drove in his third and fourth runs of the game with a power shot over the wall in left.  Three straight walks loaded the bases with two outs and a fourth straight walk pushed the game-ending run across the plate, 14-4.
 
Tyus Adkins (2-2) earned the win with the complete game throwing 7 innings while allowing 4 runs on 8 hits while striking out 5 batters.  The Peacocks combined for 13 hits including 3 by Janssen and 2 by Moser, George and Emmett Kulick.
 
Tanner Alexander (0-3) suffered the loss as UIU got to the Minot State starter for 6 runs on 7 hits in 3.1 innings.  Taylor Williamson went 3-3 at the plate and Keith Ailes and Georgdie McDougall each had 2 hits in the game.
 
Upper Iowa and Minot State will return to Robertson Woods Field on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. to wrap up their four-game series.  Live coverage including live stats and an audio broadcast will be available at http://www.upperiowaathletics.com/coverage.aspx.