THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK BASEBALL… Upper Iowa and the University of Minnesota Duluth are moving their four-game series from Fayette, Iowa to Quincy, Ill. The Peacocks and Bulldogs will line up for their Northern Sun Conference openers and one non-conference game at the Quincy University Stadium, which has a turf infield and natural grass outfield. Live stats will be provided for the four games.
UPSETTING THE #14 HAWKS... Upper Iowa split their non-conference games against #14 Quincy University Hawks on Tuesday afternoon. The Peacocks took a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the nationally-ranked Hawks scored three runs with the final coming on a sac fly to steal a 7-6 win. UIU and Quincy were tied 5-5 after seven innings in game two when the Peacocks struck gold for five runs in the eighth and ninth innings to post a 10-6 win and split the non-conference double dip.
Logan DeWulf scored the win in game two with some solid innings on the hill, while
Tony Salato,
Riley Braughton, Steve Diderrich and Zackary Cain all tallied three hits on the day. Salato's hits included a pair of doubles while Cain drove in a team-high three Peacocks,
EYE ON THE BALL... The Peacocks are hitting .343 this season as a team and five Peacocks are hitting better than .400 after just four games. Salato, A.J. Friedrich and Cain lead the group with averages of .563, .538 and .471, respectively. The trio has posted 24 of the team's 49 hits and 5 of the squad's 11 extra base hits. The team is registering a .435 on-base percentage as well thanks to the 49 hits, 21 walks and 4 hit batters.
TAKING THE BALL ON THE BUMP... Five Peacock pitchers have posted solid starts to their season including
Duncan Snider and
Alexander Morales, who have combined for 15 of UIU's 30.2 total innings on the season. Snider has a pair of no-decisions in his two starts, but has thrown for 8 innings while scattering 10 hits for just 4 unearned runs with 11 strikeouts. Morales is 1-0 with a relief appearance and a start; the redshirt-sophomore has allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits in 7 innings with a pair of strikeouts. The other three Peacock pitchers to start well are
Clayton Lieb (2 innings, 0.00 ERA, 2 k's), DeWulf (1 Win, 2 innings, 4.50 ERA, 3 k's) and
Chris Webber (1 Save, 2 innings, 4.50 ERA, 4 k's
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS... The Bulldogs are 2-5 after a southern swing through Florida beginning last Friday, Mar. 8 through Wednesday, Mar. 13. After falling to New York Tech 13-10 in their season opener, UMD bounced back for an 8-7 win over the University of Sioux Falls. UMD lost games to Northwood University (23-3) and West Chester University (8-2) before splitting with Notre Dame College (W, 5-3/L, 9-1). The team closed out their opening trip with a 6-1 loss to Wayne State University before returning north. As a team, the Bulldogs hit .219 with 48 hits including 11 doubles, 3 triples and 3 homers to slug .338. Strikeouts limited UMD's offensive opportunities, the hitters took the walk back to the dugout 73 times in the opening 7 games. On the mound, the Bulldog pitchers have posted a 9.00 ERA with 69 runs, 57 earned, in 57 innings. The UMD hurlers have issued 45 walks and 8 hit batsmen while allowing a .345 average to hitters.
