Upper Iowa swept a pair of games against the Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth on Sunday at Quincy. The first game counted on the team's Northern Sun Conference slate, while the second was a non-conference game. UIU improved to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the NSIC, while UMD fell to 4-7 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

UIU got a great start out of Duncan Snider in game one and then used six arms to get through the second game while holding UMD to four hits in game one and six hits in game two.

While the Peacock pitchers and defense held the Bulldog offense in check, the UIU batters tallied 26 hits on the day including 6 off the bat of Tony Salato and 5 from A.J. Friedrich. Upper Iowa turned their 26 hits into 18 runs on the day.

Upper Iowa is scheduled to face the University of Mary on Wednesday, Mar. 20 in Fayette. The games will likely move locations due to field conditions at Robertson Woods Field.

Game One: Upper Iowa 3 - Minnesota Duluth 1

The Peacocks scratched the scoreboard first in game one thanks to a pair of doubles in the opening frame. Zackary Cain doubled down the left field line with one out and Tony Salato followed with a double to the gap in right center to chase Cain home.

UIU loaded the bases with two outs in the second thanks to a hit, walk and hit batsman in the second, but stranded all three when Michael Waletzki got a strikeout to end the threat.

In the third, the Peacocks continued to put pressure on the Bulldogs. Salato opened the inning with a single and moved to third thanks to a perfect bunt by A.J. Friedrich and great baserunning. With one out, Riley Braughton singled to right to drive in Salato giving UIU a 2-0 lead. A wild pitch moved two runners into scoring position, but a flyball to right stranded the pair.

The Bulldogs put a pair of runners on base in the fourth inning, but UIU starter Duncan Snider was able to escape the jam with his seventh strikeout of the game and a ground out to strand a pair. 

Just like they did in the third, UIU opened the fifth with a single by Salato, who advanced to third on a single to right by Friedrich. Hogan Penny drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. UMD got the first out on a fielder's choice at home, but UIU was able to advance all three runners and score a run on a sac fly to deep left by Steve Diderrich Jr. The inning ended on a fly ball to left.

Chris Saltzman singled with one out in the top of the seventh and stole second as a Bulldog struck out. Minnesota Duluth scored their first run of the game when pinch hitter Cory Krolikowski doubled down the left field line to plate Saltzman and cut the gap to 3-1.

The Peacocks looked to add insurance in the bottom of the eighth with runners on the corners and one out, but a failed safety squeeze and a grounder to first ended the frame with UIU still holding their 3-1 lead.

A fielding error and two walks loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth for UMD, but back-to-back strikeouts by Blake Thiesse and a fly ball to left ended the Bulldog threat and gave the Peacocks their first NSIC win of the season. 

Snider faced one batter in the ninth before being lifted to earn his first win as a Peacock. The right hander struck out 12 Bulldogs while scattering 4 hits and allowing just one run. Thiesse earned the save with a walk and two strikeouts in his inning on the hill.

Waletzki suffered the loss after throwing five innings and allowing three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

Salato (3), Friedrich (2) and Diderrich (2) led the Peacock offense with a combined seven hits.

Game Two: Upper Iowa 15 - Minnesota Duluth 4

Upper Iowa jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with three runs on three hits including an rbi-triple by Kyle Routhieaux, an rbi-single by Hogan Penny and a single by Friedrich. Salato also drove in a run with a ground ball.

Minnesota Duluth grabbed one run back in the top of the second thanks to a double to right center off the bat of Alex Welder that scored Tosten Mann from first. Welder came home on a single with two outs by Kaylan Legred to cut the margin to one, 3-2. The Bulldogs added two more in the third inning when they mixed three singles with a pair of productive outs to pull ahead 4-3.

Upper Iowa broke loose in the bottom of the third for four runs on three hits and two walks as the team batted around. The hits included a solo home run by Friedrich, a run-scoring double by Jack Thode and an rbi-single by Salato. 

The Peacocks continued to expand on their lead in the fourth with three more runs fueled by a Jake Dale single that scored two Peacocks. After the big third and fourth innings, UIU led 10-4.

UIU's hit parade continued in the fifth inning when the team racked up seven hits and scored five runs when the team sent 11 batters to the plate. Salato singled twice in the inning, while Cain, Friedrich, Hans Alwin, Jake Dale and Kyle Routhieaux all picked up hits in the big inning. Thode's hit was a double, while Routhieaux's single scored two.

The Peacocks took a committee approach to their work on the mound. Evan Rice started and threw two innings allowing a pair of runs on three hits and Alexander Glick allowed two runs in his inning on three hits. Jack Tully earned the win with an inning of scoreless work. Chris Harsh, Nick Taviani and Carson Parker all threw scoreless innings to bring home the win and keep the Bulldogs at four runs for the game.

UIU's 15 hits included hits by eight different Peacocks. Routhieaux, Salato and Friedrich all had three hits apiece and Dale picked up two hits.