Upper Iowa picked up a pair of wins in Friday's doubleheader against the University of Minnesota Duluth extending its win streak to four. The Peacocks won both games by one run, 4-3 in game one and 2-1 in the second matchup. The final outs in both games each came on double plays. The first being a traditional 4-6-3 while the second came when right fielder Kyle Routhieaux made a putout then threw out a runner on the basepaths attempting to retreat back to first. Blake Thiesse also picked up his first career complete-game win in the rematch. With the wins, Upper Iowa improves to 7-8, 6-5 in the NSIC while Duluth falls to 4-11, 2-10 in conference play.
GAME ONE: Upper Iowa 4, Minnesota Duluth 3
Minnesota Duluth utilized their home-field advantage in the bottom of the first beginning the game with a two-run frame. A pair of free passes put two on before a trio of singles opened up the game scoring two Bulldogs.
Upper Iowa claimed the lead in the top of the third. AJ Friedrich and Noah Gyldenvand singled prior to a pair of walks from Routhieaux and Samuel Grushkin to score the first run. Jake Hilmer followed by flying out deep to center field bringing in Gyldenvand. Alex Greene cleared the bases with a single to left making it a 4-2 ballgame and picking up his 15th RBI of the season.
Peacock starter Duncan Snider was relieved in the top of the sixth after allowing two earned runs on six hits and three free passes while setting down four on strikes in 5.0 innings of work. The senior retired 12 of the final 15 batters he faced including a share of back-to-back pickoffs in the fourth. Snider earned the win, his second of the season improving his record on the year to 2-0.
Chris Webber came in to close the door allowing one hit in the sixth while shutting down the other three batters he faced. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh following a pair of singles and an error on Freidrich. Minnesota Duluth was able to score one and narrow its deficit to 4-3 thanks to an RBI single off the bat of Tim Pokornowski, Duluth's top hitter who was batting over .400 headed into the series. Webber then hunkered down as he got Tosten Mann to ground into a double play securing the 4-3 victory and earning the save, his third of the season.
GAME TWO: Upper Iowa 2, Minnesota Duluth 1
Upper Iowa scored first as Ryan Hull doubled and subsequently scored on a single off the bat of Hogan Penny in the top of the second. The Peacocks manufactured a second score in the sixth when Hilmer came home on a Grushkin single after reaching on a hit-by-a-pitch and stealing second base.
Duluth scored a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth following a pair of singles but was unable to match Upper Iowa's two scores.
Blake Thiesse went the distance for UIU and held UMD scoreless through seven. The outing marked the sophomore's first career complete game as he allowed one earned run on nine hits and a walk while fanning five in nine innings of work. Thiesse's stellar performance featured three 1-2-3 innings including two consecutive frames where the sophomore shutout the side in the third and fourth. The Trempealeau, Wis. native claimed the win, of course, moving to 1-2 on the young season.
PEACOCKS OF THE DAY…
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Thiesse: 9.0 IP, 1 ER, 9 H, 5 K, 1 BB, W
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Snider: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 4 K, 3 BB, W
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Grushkin: 2-6, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
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Greene: 3-7, 1 RBI
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Penny: 3-7, 1 RBI
UP NEXT… The teams will play two more on Saturday, Apr. 3 at 12 and 2 p.m. UMD experienced technical difficulties with its webcast during the doubleheader and will attempt to fix the issue prior to tomorrow's games although no there is no guarantee the live stream will be operational. However, fans can still follow along with live stats produced by the Bulldogs at UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE in light of uncertainty with the live stream.
