Upper Iowa lost the final game of their three-game, Northern Sun series with Northern State University on Sunday in Mauston, Ill. The Wolves used huge innings in the seventh and eighth to erase a three-run deficit and put the game out of reach. The big innings came after an injury to UIU's starter on a hard hit ball back up the middle. With the loss, UIU is now 6-7 overall and 3-5 in the conference, while NSU is 9-10 overall and 4-4 in NSIC action.
With one out in the first inning, three straight Peacocks reached base and scored the games first run.
Kyle Routhieaux got the rally started with a walk and moved to second on a single by
Tony Salato. Zackary Cain hit a double to the gap in right center and Routhieaux scored from second.
The Wolves answered with two runs in the top of the third thanks to a run-scoring double off the bat of Justin Barreneche and a sac fly to right by Hayden Houts. Northern State looked for more but Cain executed a hidden ball trick at third to end the inning.
UIU loaded the bases in the bottom of the third with one out thanks to a pair of walks around a hit batter. But NSU's starter Jacob Conklin struck out a pair of Peacocks to end the threat and keep the Wolves ahead by one.
When the Peacocks loaded the bases on with two outs on three walks in the fourth, the team was due to break through. Cain singled to right to plate a pair of runs and left UIU with runners on the corners. Cain stole second base and advanced to third and Salato was able to score when the throw to second went into center field.
Hogan Penny was hit by a 3-2 fastball and then stole second base allowing Cain to come home from third. The four runs in the fourth gave UIU a 5-2 edge heading to the middle innings.
The Wolves threatened in the sixth with a hit and two hit batters to load the bases. UIU starter
Colin Lacey buckled down and got a line out and ground out into the glove of Cain at third base to end the threat without allowing a run. UIU loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Mike Stubbs induced a foul fly out and a flyball to right to strand the three Peacocks on the bases.
With one out in the top of the seventh, a single right back through the box hit and injured Lacey forcing him out of the game. Northern State used a hit batter, an rbi-single from Isaiah Chevalier and a walk to score a run and load the bases. Hayden Houts put the Wolves in front 7-5 with a grand slam over the fence in right. The Wolves kept the pressure on loading the bases again and scored a run on a bunt by Spenser Larson before UIU got the final two outs of the frame.
The Wolves added six more in the eighth on six hits, a pair of walks and an error after sending 12 batters to the plate. In the seventh and eighth innings, Northern State pushed 12 runs across the plate on 11 hits while sending 24 batters to the dish.
Jake Dale drove in
Jack Thode, who doubled top open the ninth, to put a sixth run on the board in the final at bat for Upper Iowa.
Mike Stubbs (2-0) picked up the win in relief with 2.2 innings of work; the righty didn't allow a run on three hits. Conklin gave up 5 runs, 3 earned, on 4 hits in his opening 3.2 innings.
Chris Webber (0-1) suffered the loss allowing three runs without recording an out in the seventh. Lacey took the no-decsion after 6.1 strong innings on the hill. Prior to the injury, he allowed just three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out three Wolves. A total of eight pitchers saw time on the mound in the game for UIU.
At the plate, Cain had three hits and three runs batted in, while Salato added a pair of hits. The team also got on base with nine walks including three by Routhieaux.
Upper Iowa will open at home on Wednesday when they host St. Cloud State University at Robertson Woods Field in Fayette.
