The Upper Iowa baseball team split a doubleheader with the Wayne State Wildcats on Friday at Robertson Woods Field. UIU won game one 10-4 behind a big first and second inning where the Peacocks hit three home runs. The Wildcats took game two, 11-9, in a similar fashion as they scored five runs in the first, but UIU rallied late and left the bases loaded in the ninth.
After the day, Upper Iowa is 17-28 overall and 13-21 in the Northern Sun. Wayne State sits at 14-27 and 11-15 in conference play.
Colton Janssen reached base in all 11 plate appearances over the two games and finished the day 6-for-6 with a double, a home run, six RBI, three runs scored, four walks and a hit-by-pitch.
Anthony Calton tied Janssen for the team-lead with six hits, including a pair of home runs, added four RBI and scored five runs.
The Peacocks got off to a great start in the top of the first with four runs on five hits. UIU loaded the bases with one out thanks to singles by
Cody Booker and Calton and a walk to Janssen.
Alex George made it 4-0 Upper Iowa with a grand slam over the wall in right field. UIU threatened for more after a double by Zach Cain and single by
Emmett Kulick. Both Peacocks were stranded on base when the final out was recorded in right.
Wayne State opened the top of the second with a walk and wound up cutting the gap in half thanks to a single and two-run double.
Upper Iowa continued their offensive assault in the second inning with four runs on four hits before the first out of the frame. Booker singled and came home on an inside the park homerun to center by Calton for the first two runs and then
Jacob Greco reached on a bunt single to third and came home on a deep shot over the wall in left centerfield off the bat of Janssen.
The Wildcats picked up an unearned run when a fly ball with two outs was lost in the sun allowing a runner to score from first. Wayne State cut another run off the lead to pull within four, 8-4, in the sixth inning, but UIU starter
Zach Carstens buckled down and stranded a pair of runners on the bases.
UIU returned their lead to 10-4 with a two-run double by Janssen with one out plating Calton and Greco in the bottom of the sixth.
Carstens (3-4) finished the Wildcats off in the seventh for his third win and third complete game of the season. The senior allowed four runs, three were earned, on seven hits while striking out four batters.
Game two saw the Wildcats take control early as WSC scored five runs in the first inning, including a grand slam. UIU came back in their half of the first a scored a run as Janssen singled up the middle to plate Booker and make it 5-1.
After Wayne State extended their lead to 6-1 in the top of the third, but the Peacocks stormed back in the bottom half of the inning to cut it a one-run game. Calton and Greco led off the third with back-to-back home runs to start the third. Later in the inning, UIU loaded the bases with two outs and
Jordan Kearns came through with a single to center that scored two and made it a 6-5 game.
WSC seemed to have a response to each Peacock rally as the Wildcats added another run in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
But UIU kept the bats alive throughout the game and scored in the bottom of the fifth. Calton added his fourth RBI on the day on his sixth hit in the doubleheader to pull the Peacocks back within three, 9-6.
After a solo home run in the top of the seventh, the third of the game for the Wildcats, it was 10-6, but UIU came back with a run in the bottom of the eighth. Greco led off with a triple to center and George hit a sac fly a few batters later to cut the deficit once again to three, 10-7.
A pair of hits and a sacrifice fly gave Wayne State in the top of the ninth gave a four-run cushion heading to the final at bats for Upper Iowa. Luis Ravelo led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and two batters later, Calton walked. With two outs, Janssen had his sixth hit of the game, an RBI single through the right side to make it 11-8. George came up next, singled to center to plate Calton and cut the deficit to two, 11-9.
Dominic Hillesheim came up next and drew a walk to load the bases.
Eric Cottrell came off the bench to pinch hit but struck out to end the game.
Collin Thomas (2-4) took the loss as he threw seven innings and allowed 10 runs on 15 hits. Thomas struck out five and didn't allow a walk.
UIU and WSC will return to Robertson Woods Field on Saturday for the final double header of the regular season at 1 p.m. The Peacocks will recognize and honor their eight seniors between games on Senior Day in Fayette.
