The Peacock baseball team opened a 15-game road trip in Minot, N.D. on Wednesday against the Beavers of Minot State University. MiSU used a big inning in each game to propel them to a double header sweep over UIU. Minot State scored five runs in the third inning of a 7-4 game one win and three runs in the fifth inning of a 6-4 game two win. The Beavers improve to 15-9 overall and 9-3 in the Northern Sun, while the Peacocks fall to 7-13 overall and 4-11 in the conference.

Upper Iowa will next take the field in Crookston, Minn. on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 6-7 in a three-game series with the Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Game One: Minot State 7 - Upper Iowa 4

Minot State jumped on Upper Iowa early in game one scoring a pair of runs on three hits in the first inning and adding five in the third inning highlighted by a three-run homer by Michael Borst.

UIU's starter Evan Rice allowed the seven runs, six earned, through the first three but then buckled down and found his groove on the mound. Rice recorded strikeouts on four of his final seven outs after the seven Beaver runs came in. 

While Rice was keeping Minot State's offense at bay in the fourth and fifth innings, the Peacocks began to chip away at the lead.

In the fourth, Emmett Kulick, the reigning NSIC Player of the Week, hit his fifth home run in the last eight days giving the Peacocks their first run of the day.  UIU kept the pressure on the fifth loading the bases with two outs, but a ground ball ended the threat. 

Upper Iowa didn't waste their opportunity twice though. In the sixth, UIU loaded the bases with no outs. Steve Diderrich Jr. and Jake Dale each pushed a run across with sac flies and Tony Salato walked to force in a run and cut the gap to 7-4. With two outs and the tying run on base, a fly out to right ended the rally. Minot State recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to preserve the lead and earn the win.

Rice (0-2) threw 5.1 innings allowing the seven runs, six earned, on seven hits and a pair of walks. The righty did strikeout six Beavers.

UIU was held to just three hits in the game, but tried to take advantage of six walks and a pair of hit batsmen.

Game Two: Minot State 6 - Upper Iowa 4

Upper Iowa tallied 12 hits in the second game, but couldn't string enough together to outscore their hosts. 

Minot State once again was first to the scoreboard scoring a run in the fourth inning without a hit. A fielding error, a hit batter, a walk and a sac fly allowed the Beavers to take a 1-0 lead on the Peacocks and starter Logan DeWulf. 

UIU's sophomore righty got through the first four innings without allowing a hit to the Beaver bats, but in the fifth Minot State broke free. MiSU used a pair of singles, a wild pitch and a throwing error to to push three runs across the plate and move out to a 4-0 lead heading to the sixth inning.

In the sixth, Upper Iowa was able to cut the gap in half, 4-2, on the back of four hits including a run-scoring single by Riley Braughton and a sac fly from Cole Scieszinski. Kulick and A.J. Friedrich singled to open the inning in front of Braughton. The rally died with two runners in scoring position on a grounder to the pitcher.

After Clayton Lieb guided the Peacocks through a scoreless bottom half of the sixth, Salato doubled and went to third on Cain's third hit of the day to open the seventh. Friedrich brought Salato home and Braughton sent Cain to the plate with a pair of singles through the left side. A double play turned by the Beaver infield ended the scoring threat, but not before UIU had the game tied at 4-4.

The tie didn't last long as Minot State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. The Beavers retook the lead 5-4 on a sac fly and added an insurance run with a bunt single to go ahead 6-4. 

Upper Iowa went quietly in the eighth, but put the tying run on base in the ninth before a strikeout and fly out ended the game. 
 
Chris Harsh (0-1) took the loss after his one-third of an inning; Harsh allowed the two runs in the seventh that gave the Beavers the lead for good. DeWulf took a no-decision with 5 innings of work on the hill; he allowed four runs, only one was earned, on two hits while striking out four.

At the plate, Braughton led the Peacocks with three hits, while Salato, Cain and Friedrich all recorded a pair of hits.