Upper Iowa opened up its conference slate with a split Saturday against Southwest Minnesota State University. The doubleheader marked the Peacocks first game at Robertson Woods Field in nearly two years. UIU fell 7-4 in the first game before reversing course and picking up a 5-4 win in the encore. Following the day, Upper Iowa moves to 2-4, 1-1 in the NSIC while SMSU becomes 2-2, 1-1 in conference play.

GAME ONE: SMSU 7, UPPER IOWA 4

SMSU claimed an early 2-0 lead following a pair of extra base hits. After Peacocks starter Jarrett Ramer retired the leadoff man, Nate Kuhn doubled off of the fence in left center before Jake Hendricks drove him home with a round tripper to the opposite field just beyond the left field fence. The Mustangs added to their lead in the third when an error by the Peacocks shortstop allowed Kuhn, who reached on a walk, to score for the second time putting SMSU up 3-0. 

Southwest pushed their lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth after Matt Bezdicek doubled in two Mustangs who reached via a walk and a single. Ramer ended the day allowing five runs, four earned on five hits and a trio of walks while setting down two on strikes in 3.0 innings of work. Keaton Parker came in for relief in the fourth getting the Peacocks out of the jam and setting down a pair of Mustangs on strikes.

Upper Iowa got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. AJ Friedrich began the inning with a single to right field, UIU's first base-knock of the day. Hogan Penny then reached by a fielder's choice before stealing second. Alex Greene roped a single up the middle into centerfield bringing Penny home and cutting the Peacocks deficit down to 5-1. 

The Mustangs scored a run of their own in the following frame. Andy Andresen scored for the second time after Kuhn hit a single into the left gap extending SMSU's advantage back to five. Kobe Lovell relieved Mustang starter Jake Wensmann in the top of the sixth. Wensmann ended the day giving up three earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out one in 5.0 innings on the mound.

The Peacocks scored two in the top of sixth making it a 6-3 ballgame. Noah Gyldenvand and Jake Hilmer reached on a pair of singles before AJ Friedrich was hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases. Hogan Penny scored Gyldenvand with a sac fly to center. Greene followed with a shot deep to right center field beyond the reach of SMSU's right fielder scoring Hilmer. Friedrich was thrown out attempting to go from first to third on the triple ending the inning.

Bezdicek led off the sixth with a solo shot to push Southwest's lead to 7-4. In the bottom half of the inning, Sam Nascak came in to pitch for the Mustangs. Lovell went just one inning striking out one and giving up one base hit. The Peacocks took advantage of the fresh arm scoring one run. Sam Grushkin crossed the plate thanks to a single, an error, a stolen base, and an RBI groundout off the bat of Adrian Trujillo. 

Steve Marhefke came in to pitch in the top of the seventh ending Parker's day at 3.0 innings, four strikeouts, and two earned runs on five hits and three walks. Marhefke shut down the Mustangs setting down three of the four batters he faced. UIU loaded the bases in their last at-bats. However, no Peacocks were able to cross the plate ending the game at 7-4 in favor of Southwest.

GAME TWO: UPPER IOWA 5, SMSU 4

SMSU scored first in the bottom of the second. Kuhn drove in a run on a double prior to stumbling on his way to third and getting tagged out to end the inning. The Mustangs pushed three more runs across the plate in the fifth. All three runs came with two outs and went down as unearned scores. Hendricks picked up his third and fourth RBI of the weekend with a single scoring the latter two runs.

Upper Iowa got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Hilmer got the scoring spree started with a single up the middle driving in Grushkin who reached on a walk. A second run scored after Greene shot a single to left bringing home Kyle Routhieaux who got on via a walk. Friedrich then displayed his power striking a double deep to left driving both Hilmer and Greene in to even things up at four.

Mustangs' starter Jeremiah Van De Steeg was relieved in the inning but was also awarded all four earned runs scored in the frame. The junior finished the outing having allowed four hits and three walks while setting down six on strikes. Teddy Broxterman came in for De Steeg to make the final out. 

The Peacocks claimed their first lead of the day when a sac fly from Jake Hilmer brought home Routhieaux, who reached on a walk, for the second time making the score 5-4. 

Upper Iowa starting pitcher Duncan Snider was relieved midway through the eighth by Brennan Sefrit. Snider allowed four runs, one earned on five hits and five walks while striking out seven in 7.1 innings of work. Sefrit struck out the lone batter he faced before Chris Webber replaced the freshman who followed up a three-pitch strikeout of his own to end the inning. Webber closed out the top of the ninth ceiling the victory and earning the save for the Peacocks while Duncan Snider was awarded the win for his valiant effort facing 25 batters and throwing over 120 pitches.

PEACOCKS OF THE GAME… 

• Snider: 7.1IP, 4 R, 1 ER, 7 K, 5 H, 5 BB

• Webber: 1.1 IP, 0 R, 1 K

• Marhefke: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 1 K

• Greene: 3-8, 3 RBI, 1 R

• Penny: 3-8, 1 RBI, 1 R

• Friedrich: 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 HBP, 1 BB

• Hilmer: 2-7, 2 RBI, 2 R

• Routhieaux: 0-1, 2 R, 2 BB