Upper Iowa dropped a pair of non-conference games on Saturday. The Peacocks first fell to Truman State University 16-10 before getting tripped up by Pittsburg State University 13-8 later in the day. With the losses, UIU moves to 1-3 on the weekend. A.J. Friedrich led the Peacock offense in game one with a 4-5 performance at the plate. Hogan Penny shinned in game two going 3-5 with a triple, a double and five RBI.
Upper Iowa will return to the diamond on Saturday, February 29 for the first of a pair of doubleheaders against Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Game One: Truman State 16, Upper Iowa 10
The Peacocks did not hesitate to get the bats going early on, John Magnuson and Conner Klostermann led off the top of the first inning with back-to-back singles. Magnuson quickly scored on a throwing error that allowed Collin Meinert to reach on a fielder's choice. Friedrich followed with a single up the middle to load the bases before Ryan Hull walked scoring Klostermann. Noah Gyldenvand then singled down the left-field line scoring Meinert and putting the Peacocks up 3-0 to begin the game.
The Peacocks extended their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third, Hull and Gyldenvand both reached on errors before Adrian Trujillo singled to the opposite field scoring Hull. Truman State got on the board in the bottom half of the inning. After two Bulldogs walked, Steven Bradbury cleared the bases with a home run to left-centerfield making it a 4-3 game through three innings.
Truman State evened the game at four in the bottom of the fourth, an error, a walk, and a bunt loaded the bases with Bulldogs before a sacrifice fly scored Truman State's fourth run of the day. The Peacocks regained the lead in the fifth. Alex Baker was hit by a pitch and Gyldenvand reached on an error before Trujillo doubled both base runners home. Trujillo scored after a pair of wild pitches, Klostermann then belted a solo shot to left-center putting UIU up 8-4.
The Bulldogs tied things up at eight in the bottom half of the inning. Truman State manufactured the four runs via three singles, two walks and two errors committed by the Peacocks. Upper Iowa gained a slim 9-8 advantage in the sixth, Friedrich and Hull began the inning with back-to-back doubles. Friedrich was then able to make his way home on a sac fly off the bat of Gyldenvand.
Truman State rattled off five runs in the following frame to go-ahead 13-9. The big inning featured seven hits including an RBI double. The Bulldogs tacked on two more in the seventh, both runs were scored with two outs. Meinert walked to lead off the eighth inning, he immediately advanced to third following a passed ball and a subsequent throwing error. Friedrich then singled up the middle scoring Meinert and cutting the Peacocks deficit down to 15-10.
The Bulldogs added an insurance run via a double and a pair of errors to extend their lead to 16-10. Truman State then shut down the Peacocks in the top of the ninth securing the victory.
Parker Kray was awarded the loss after allowing five runs, four of which were earned to cross the plate during his 1.1 innings on the hill. Colin Lacey received no decision, he allowed four runs, three earned in four innings of work in his first start of 2020. Lacey totaled seven strikeouts while allowing five walks and just one hit on the day. Jarrett Ramer, Keaton Parker, and Mac Wolfe also appeared in relief for the Peacocks.
Friedrich went 4-5 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Trujillo went 2-4 with a double and drove in three runs. Klostermann went 2-4 at the plate which included his second home run through two games played.
Game Two: Pittsburg State 13, Upper Iowa 8
The Peacocks began game two in similar fashion posting three runs in the top half of the first inning. Gyldenvand led off with a single, Klostermann walked and Riley Braughton followed with a single to load the bases with no outs. Nolan Friedrichs traded places on the basepaths with Glydenvand on a fielder's choice before Penny sent all three runners home with a double to deep centerfield.
Pitt State immediately doubled the Upper Iowa lead, tallying six runs in the bottom half of the first. The Gorillas batted through the order compiling six hits including a pair of doubles and a two-run home run. The Peacocks erased their deficit in the following frame. A trio of two-out singles from Braughton, Magnuson, and Friedrichs scored one run. Penny stepped up again with a two-RBI triple to even the game at six runs apiece.
The Gorillas scored seven unanswered runs from the bottom of the second through the bottom of the seventh inning to regain the lead by a 13-6 count. Jathan Sibal began an eighth-inning rally with an opposite-field double. Hull singled to right-center scoring Sibal. Hull then scored himself following a passed ball and a pair of wild pitches to cap off a two-run inning that cut the Peacocks' deficit down to 13-8. The Gorillas held the Peacocks scoreless in the top of the ninth, clinching their fourth win of the weekend.
Grant Ver Vort was awarded the loss after allowing four earned runs in 3.1 innings of work. Van Vort struck out four, walked three and allowed two hits on the day. Alexander Morales received no decision, he gave up six earned runs, six hits, and a walk in 0.2 innings on the bump. Clayton Lieb, Chris Harsh, Greg Glass, and Chris Webber also appeared in relief for UIU. Webber held the Gorillas scoreless in 1.1 innings on the mound.
Penny tallied five RBI, went 3-5 and was a home run shy of the cycle. Sibal went 2-3 with a double. Braughton went 2-4 and scored twice.
