Upper Iowa dropped a pair of games against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside falling to 0-4 on the series. The Rangers totaled 24 runs on 25 hits including seven homeruns and five doubles between the two games. Following the losses, Upper Iowa moves to 1-11 and Wisconsin-Parkside improves to 4-3.
UIU will face off with Rockhurst University for a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 11 in Kansas City, Mo.
Game One: Wisconsin-Parkside 14, Upper Iowa 3
Wisconsin-Parkside began the game on a four-run advantage. The Rangers tallied four base hits in the top of the first including a three-run homerun off the bat of Dominic Esposito. The blast to left field was Esposito's third longball of the series. Upper Iowa scored three in the following frame. Conner Klostermann started the inning with a walk before AJ Friedrich homered deep to centerfield cutting the Peacocks' deficit in half. Jack Thode followed with his second round tripper of the series making it a 4-3 game after the first inning.
Wisconsin-Parkside added 11 go-ahead runs while shutting out Upper Iowa on the opposite end during the final six innings. The Rangers scored three in the third when Noah Tyrell hit a homerun to left field after a pair of baserunners reached on singles. Parkside posted three more in the fifth following an RBI groundout and a two-run homerun struck by Bryce Brogni. UWP tacked on another four runs in the seventh thanks to five base hits, two of which were doubles.
Colin Lacey was awarded the loss after allowing 10 earned runs on nine hits and two walks in five innings of work. Lacey also tallied seven strikeouts in the outing. Mac Wolfe and Logan DeWulf each allowed two earned runs apiece in one inning in relief.
Game Two: Wisconsin-Parkside 10, Upper Iowa 6
The Rangers got on the scoreboard in the top of the first, a walk and an RBI double put Parkside up 1-0 after one. UWP added two more in the second, a free pass set up a Ricky West two-run homerun increasing the Parkside lead to 3-0. Upper Iowa decreased their deficit down to 3-2 in the bottom of the third. Kyle Routhieaux walked to lead off the inning, Jake Dale then singled prior to Conner Klostermann striking a double into that gap scoring both baserunners.
The Rangers made it 4-2 in the following frame when Nicholas Eisenberger cleared the centerfield fence. The Peacocks evened things up at four in the bottom half of the inning. Collin Meinert got aboard on an error before Jake Hilmer homered to left. The longball was Hilmer's first career hit at Upper Iowa.
Parkside regained the lead in the top of the fifth. Brogni hit his second two-run homerun of the day to put UWP up 6-4 after five. Upper Iowa tied things up at six in the bottom of the sixth. Hilmer and Routhieaux hit back-to-back doubles to score one before Dale hit a solo shot right center field adding another.
A pair of singles and two free passes gave the Rangers a slim 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth. Wisconsin-Parkside added three insurance runs in the ninth. Eisenberger hit a three-run shot, his second homerun of the day, to put UWP ahead 10-6 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Upper Iowa was unable to score in the bottom half resulting in the 10-6 loss.
Drew Callon was awarded the loss after allowing the go-ahead run on two hits in 2.2 innings of work. Blake Thiesse got no decision after allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 4.2 innings on the hill. Thiesse also registered five strikeouts in the outing. Grant Ver Voort and Samuel Grushkin appeared in relief as well. Dale led the Peacocks with a 3-5 rate at the plate and a homerun. Hilmer went 2-4 with a homerun and a double.
