Upper Iowa defeated Sioux Falls 10-4 in the final game of a three-game, Northern Sun series on Saturday. The Peacocks earned their first series victory of the season with the win fueled by a dominant offense in the middle innings and a strong start from freshman righty
Blake Thiesse. With the win, UIU improves to 11-22 overall and 8-20 in the NSIC. USF falls to 10-31 overall and 8-20 in the conference as well.
Prior to the game, the Peacocks recognized their six seniors on the field. The group of six included Zackary Cain,
Alexander Glick,
Emmett Kulick,
Jeremy Maschino,
Tony Salato and
Cole Scieszinski. All six played in the ballgame.
Sioux Falls jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with three unearned runs in the top of the first after an error allowed the opening frame to extend. Sioux Falls had a pair of runners on first and second thanks to an error and hit batsman with two outs. Ryan Bernardy delivered the two runners home with a triple off the wall in right center. Sam Michels followed with a single through the left side to send Bernardy home.
After the long first inning, UIU starter
Blake Thiesse settled in allowing only two more hits over the next 5.2 innings while posting zero after zero on the scoreboard.
Upper Iowa got two runs back in the third inning after
Dalton Steere led the inning off with a single and
Tony Salato doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position. A two-run double off the bat of
Riley Braughton with out cut the gap to just one, 3-2, and UIU kept the pressure on loading the bases, but a groundball double play ended the threat.
The Peacocks tied the game in the fourth inning after
Hogan Penny singled, stole second and then raced home on a single to left by
Jack Thode. The run batted in was Thode's third of the weekend after pushing both UIU runs across on Friday.
In the fifth inning, the Peacocks took control thanks to four runs on four hits and a walk. Cain singled to open the inning and scored on A.J. Friedrich's double down the right field line.
Emmett Kulick, who reached on an infield single, scored on a fielder's choice by Penny and Friedrich came home when
Cole Scieszinski laid down a sac bunt. Steere drove in the final run of the inning with his second hit of the afternoon.
The home team went back to work in the sixth inning after a pair of fly outs to right. Kulick walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home when Friedrich singled to right. Penny made it a three-run inning when he stepped in and homered to left field to make the score 10-3 in favor of the home team.
Sioux Falls scratched one run back in the eighth inning with a bases loaded sac fly, but Alex Glick, on in relief ended the threat with a strikeout, flyball and Scieszinski threw to second to catch a Cougar stealing to close the frame. Glick continued to be effective in the ninth putting up a scoreless inning to end the game.
Thiesse (2-1) scored the win after 6.2 innings on the mound allowing three unearned runs on four hits while setting three Cougars down on strikes. Maschino threw a third of an inning getting a flyout while allowing a run. Glick threw for 1.2 innings and did not allow a run while striking out one Cougar.
Sean Nussbaum (0-3) took the loss in relief with four runs allowed in just one-third of an inning on three hits and a walk.
At the plate, Cain recorded three hits, while Kulick, Friedrich, Penny and Steere all picked up a pair of hits. Penny led the team in runs batted in with three, but Braughton and Friedrich were both close behind with two each.
Upper Iowa will host Winona State Univeristy on Wednesday, Apr. 24. The Peacocks and Warriors are scheduled for a 12 p.m. start for their NSIC double header.
