The Wayne State Wildcats stole a pair of victories on Thursday at home over the Upper Iowa baseball team thanks to late rallies that erased a Peacock one-run lead. Wayne State scored three runs in the sixth inning of game one to win 7-5 and then scored a pair of runs in the eighth inning of game two to win 7-6. After the two decisions, WSC improves to 20-18 overall and 15-11 in the conference, while UIU drops to 14-20 overall and 10-16 in the conference.
Wayne State scored a run in the first inning, but Upper Iowa answered with two runs in the third inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Jacob Greco drove in
Anthony Calton with an rbi-single up the middle; and after a single by
Luis D. Ravelo-Herrera loaded the bases,
Zackary Cain grounded out to push a second run across the dish. The Wildcats tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third with a pair of hits.
UIU got another run on the board in the fifth inning on a Cain rbi-single, but once again, the home team had an answer. The Wildcats tallied three hits in the frame including a run-scoring double and single.
Trailing by one run, 4-3, heading into the sixth inning, the Peacocks got a double down the left field line by
Dominic Hillesheim to leadoff. The Peacock catcher moved to third on a sac bunt by
Callahan Seehase and came home on a single up the middle by Calton.
Alex George and Greco singled in succession to plate Calton and give the Peacocks a 5-4 lead. UIU was looking for more, but a groundball double play ended the UIU threat.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wildcats scored three runs on three hits highlighted by a two-run homer by Aaron Krier over the fence in rightfield. The runs gave Wayne State a 7-5 lead and left Upper Iowa only three outs to work with in the seventh to get back into the game.
Upper Iowa loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but couldn't get the big hit to tie the game falling 7-5 to Wayne State.
Keenan Breen got the win to improve to 4-0 after recording just two outs during the sixth inning. Kyle Kennebeck got his third save as he survived the seventh inning after issuing two walks and giving up a hit.
George (0-1) took the loss for UIU after throwing the sixth inning for the Peacocks. UIU used five pitchers with only one,
Tyus Adkins, lasting more than one inning.
Brett Fanning was the only one to not allow a run.
In the second game, both teams scored a pair of runs in the first inning with UIU's coming after an error by the Wildcats and WSC's coming on a pair of sacrifice flies. Wayne State added two more in the second inning with just one hit thanks to a pair of errors on the Upper Iowa middle infielders.
The Peacocks cut the two-run gap in half with a run in the third inning. George led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a single by Greco. Cain pushed George to the dish with a ground ball to the right side.
Two hits by the home team reestablished the Wildcats two-run lead, 5-3, in the fourth inning with a run on two hits, but Upper Iowa was able to tie the game at 5-5 in the fifth inning. George singled to lead off the inning and came home on a double to centerfield by Greco. Cain tallied another rbi with a deep fly ball to go down officially as a sac fly.
A Ravelo double in the seventh inning plated George, who singled to start the seventh inning, and gave the visitors a one-run lead, 6-5, heading into the seventh inning stretch. With two outs in the eighth and one man on base, the Peacocks walked their second batter of the inning. Krier singled to left to plate one Wildcat and tie the game and then Jackson Petersen singled to right to drive in a run and put Wayne State ahead 7-6.
UIU's Calton singled to right and moved to second on a sac bunt by George and to third on a single by Greco to left field. With runners on the corners and one out, the Wildcats picked up a grounder and got the tag at home to nail Calton, and then for the second game in a row a Peacock batter was caught looking at a third strike to end the rally and strand the lead run on base.
Breen earned his second win of the day moving to 5-0 with an inning of relief. Kennebeck picked up his second save of the afternoon with an inning work in the ninth.
Clayton Lieb (0-2) was served the loss after allowing two runs in 3.2 innings on the bump.
Jay Kiel started and picked up a no-decision after 4.0 innings and five runs, three earned, allowed on five hits.
At the plate, Greco was unstoppable recording 7 hits in his 8 at bats including a double while driving in a 3 baserunners and scoring twice himself. George also had a big day at the dish with 5 hits in his 8 at bats. Cain posted a team-high 4 rbi on the day.
UIU will not have any rest as they look to head west to Sioux Falls, S.D. after a short stay in their beds and classes on Friday morning. The Peacocks will be on the diamond at the University of Sioux Falls on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 22-23 for a four-game series within the Northern Sun Conference.
