Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Peacock baseball team opened their 2018 campaign Thursday night in Minneapolis, Minn. at U.S. Bank Stadium with a non-conference doubleheader against the Beavers of Bemidji State University. Upper Iowa held a lead in game one, but a three-run seventh inning for the Beavers sparked a 7-4 win for BSU. UIU bounced back in game two, and a three-run second frame was the difference as the Peacocks picked up a 3-2 victory. With the split, both teams open their 2018 campaign 1-1. The squads will not meet in the Northern Sun season.

Upper Iowa will have an off-day to travel down to Rolla, Mo. for a four-game weekend set with the Miners of Missouri S&T on Saturday and Sunday, March 10-11. Game one Saturday is slated for 1 p.m., while Sunday's twinbill begins at 12 p.m.

Game 1: BSU 7 - UIU 4
Redshirt-senior Brett Fanning was named the Opening Day starter for the Peacocks, and pitched a complete game in a losing effort. The right hander went all seven innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits while striking out four batters. Fanning tossed five scoreless innings, but a four-run fourth inning and a three-run seventh cost the veteran a chance at a victory.

The Peacocks got off to a good start in the game, picking up two runs in the home half of the first inning. With runners on second and third, Jacob Greco and Conner Klostermann put together back-to-back ground balls to the right side to score runs. However, BSU took their first lead in the fourth with a pair of rbi-singles and a run-scoring double. Trailing 4-2, the Peacocks answered in the later innings.

With runners on second and third with two outs, Cole Scieszinski ripped a ground ball to short, and an error allowed two runs to score the tie the game. UIU got the game to the seventh even, but the Beavers reclaimed the lead with a three-run inning, and held on for the 7-4 win. Six Peacocks tallied a hit in the loss.

Game 2: UIU 3 - BSU 2
In a low-scoring second game, it was freshman Colin Lacey who picked up his first career win on the mound. Lacey tossed six innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits and striking out three batters. The left-hander got just enough help from his offense to earn a hard-fought win late into the night.

Zac Cain got the scoring started in the second inning for the Peacocks with an rbi-single to score Klostermann. The inning continued with a two-run double down the left-field line by Emmett Kulick, capping off a three-run frame. Pitching did the rest in game two for UIU. Bemidji State added two runs in the third inning to get right back in the game, but the pitching staff for the Peacocks did enough to hold on.

In the seventh, Tanner Poor got the first two outs before Tyus Adkins came in and shut the door to earn the save.