Upper Iowa dropped an NSIC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the University of Sioux Falls. UIU fell in game one 4-3 before slipping up 13-9 in a high-scoring second act. Following the day, the Peacocks move to 12-18 overall, 10-14 in the NSIC while the Cougars become an even 15-15, 11-15 in conference contests.
 
GAME ONE: Sioux Falls 4, Upper Iowa 3

Sioux Falls scored one run in the bottom half of the first inning following a pair of walks and a single. The Cougars extended their lead to 3-0 in the third thanks to a walk, a single, and a pair of errors committed by the Peacock defense.

Upper Iowa responded with three unanswered runs of their own. Samuel Grushkin scored the first for UIU in the top of the fourth. The freshman clobbered a leadoff double into center field. Grushkin then stole third and scored on an errant throw down by the USF catcher. 

The Peacocks' second score came in the sixth inning. Ryan Hull got things started by blasting a double beyond the reach of the Cougars' center fielder. The Corinth, Texas native promptly advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jake Hilmer flew out deep to center scoring Hull and cutting Upper Iowa's deficit down to one run. 

Kyle Routhieaux shot his second double of the game off the wall in left-center with two outs in the top of the seventh to keep the Peacocks' hopes alive. The right fielder quickly advanced to third on a wild pitch. Noah Gyldenvand had his back against the wall with two strikes but turned on a 1-2 inside fastball shooting it up the middle scoring Routhieaux and tying things up at three. 

USF won in walk-off fashion in the bottom half of the inning. The run came manufactured as a pinch hitter reached and made his way to second on an error before headed to third on a groundout then home on a game-winning single up the middle off the bat of Connor King. King forced a 10-pitch count prior to connecting on the walk-off base hit.

Both starters went deep into the ballgame for their respective squads. Jarrett Ramer allowed three runs, two earned on a quartet of hits and walks while fanning five in six innings on the mound. Ramer hit his stride later in the outing as the freshman recorded back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth as part of a stretch where he retired nine of the 10 final batters he faced. The starter received no decision as Keaton Parker was awarded the loss after allowing the game-winning run in relief. Keenahn Cole went the distance for USF allowing a trio of earned runs on eight hits and a walk while setting down five on strikes in the win. 

Errors ended up hurting UIU as two of the Cougars' four runs came home on two of the Peacocks' four errors committed. The Peacock bats were active tallying eight hits, four of which went for extra bases, but Upper Iowa was unable to outscore Sioux Falls in the seven-inning bout.

GAME TWO: Sioux Falls 13, Upper Iowa 9

The scoring started early in game two as each team notched five runs through the first pair of innings. Sioux Falls's scores came on five free passes and four hits. Upper Iowa put up two runs in the opening frame. Hilmer opened things up by lining a single past the third baseman. Grushkin then doubled for the second time bringing Hilmer all the way home. Hogan Penny followed with a single to left field bringing in Grushkin. 

Three more Peacocks crossed the plate in the top of the second. Gyldenvand began the inning with a single up the middle then made his way into scoring position on a passed ball. Adrian Trujillo singled to left scoring the Peacock shortstop. Hull reached via error to put two on before Hilmer joined the double party with a bases-clearing two-bagger. 

Upper Iowa continued to score runs at a rapid rate as the Peacocks put up four in the top of the third. Alex Greene posted the seventh Peacock double of the day before Trujillo grounded out to the left side bringing Greene home. Ryan Hull and Noah Gyldenvand produced a pair of singles scoring another. Hilmer capped off the inning with a two-run shot over the tall left-field fence at "The Birdcage". The longball was the Walker, Iowa native's first of the season. 

Sioux Falls cut their deficit down to 9-6 in the following frame thanks to a pair of base knocks. The Cougars reclaimed the lead 11-9 with a big five-run inning in the bottom of the fourth. The inning featured six hits, none bigger than a two-run roundtripper off the bat of Noah Buss. The Cougars picked up their second home run of the game when Ryan Bernardy went yard extending USF's advantage to 12-9. A 13th run for the home team scored in the eighth, the Cougars eighth unanswered and final run, after a pair of singles and a walk. 

The Peacocks had three arms go in the outing. Blake Thiesse allowed nine runs, five earned on nine hits and five free passes while striking out four in 3.2 innings of work. Steve Marhefke handled the middle innings spanning 3.1 innings and was awarded the loss. The freshman allowed three runs to score, one earned including the go-ahead score on six hits and two free passes while registering one punch out. Brennan Sefrit pitched the final frame for the Peacocks allowing one earned run on two hits and a walk while setting down one on strikes. Alex Bertram got the win for the Cougars after allowing one earned run in 3.1 relief innings.

Despite the UIU loss, Hilmer went a game-high 4-5 with a home run and a double driving in four runs and scoring twice.

PEACOCKS OF THE DAY...

• Ramer: 6.0 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 K, 4 H, 4 BB

• Hilmer: 4-7 w/ a HR & 2B, 5 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB, 1 SF

• Hull: 3-9 w/ a 2B, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB

• Greene: 3-7 w/ a 2B, 1 R

• Gyldenvand: 3-7, 2 R

• Grushkin, 2-7 w/ a 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB, 1 BB

• Routhieaux: 2-7 w/ 2 2Bs, 1 R, 1 BB

• Trujillo: 2-7, 2 RBI, 1 R

UP NEXT… The Peacocks and Cougars will do it all again tomorrow Apr. 25 at 12 and 2 p.m. Game two will be a seven-inning non-conference affair.