THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK BASEBALL… Upper Iowa hosts Winona State University in a three-game, Northern Sun Conference series that was pushed back a day due to rains that fell throughout last week in Fayette. The Peacocks and Warriors will line up for a double header on Sunday, Apr. 24 beginning at 1:30 p.m. and then play the series finale on Monday beginning at 2 p.m.
LIVE OPTIONS… Fans that can't make it to Fayette for the games can follow along with a couple of live options provided by the UIU Sports Communication offices. Live stats and a webcast will be provided for all three games. Fans can follow the links above or visit UIUPeacocks.com/Live on gameday to access the live options.
DIGITAL GAMEDAY PROGRAM… Fans can access an interactive, digital gameday program for all home games at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. The digital programs are available to fans both at our games in Fayette and those at home watching or following the action. QR Codes will be located around the facility to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that series' specific digital gameday program.
HEARTBREAK KIDS… The Peacocks are 3-11 in games decided by two runs or less this season. The three wins came in a 5-4 win at Rockhurst University, a 6-5 win at the University of Mary and a 4-3 win at home last Tuesday over the University of Sioux Falls. UIU has lost one-run contests at the University of Missouri-St Louis (4-3), at William Jewell College (7-6), at home to Northern State University (3-2), at St. Cloud State University (3-2) and on Tuesday at home to Sioux Falls (7-6). UIU is 0-6 in two-run games.
ON DECK… This season, the Peacocks have been led at the plate by
Tanner Stein (.345),
Jerry Garcia (.309),
Cael Luzum (.295) and
Jake Hilmer (.293). Other Peacocks have had their moments or good weeks, but consistency at the plate is the goal for Head Coach
Jeremy Ische. On Tuesday, both Luzum and
Samuel Grushkin had big days. Luzum had four hits against the Cougars, while Grushkin had three hits in six at bats with two home runs, three runs batted in and four runs scored.
CLIMBING THE HILL… UIU's pitching staff has been good this season posting an ERA of 5.33. Although the pitchers have allowed a .290 batting average to opponents, the Peacocks have been able to battle around them without allowing too many free passes. Upper Iowa has only issues 89 walks through 229.2 innings, about one every two and a half innings. The Peacocks have posted 184 strikeouts led by
Colin Lacey's 41 in 37.1 innings. Lacey is 3-2 on the season with a 3.13 ERA and two shared shutouts with
Sam Marhefke. Marhefke has a 3.81 ERA with a 2-2 record in 12 relief appearances.
Keaton Parker (1-6, 37.2 IP, 5.97 ERA) and
Jarrett Ramer (0-5, 29.2 IP, 6.67 ERA) have been mainstays in the Peacock rotation as well, while
Nicholas Pica,
Jason Katz,
Grant Ver Voort and
Austin Shingledecker have all thrown important innings for UIU.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS… Winona State enters the three-game series with a 9-19 record overall and a 7-10 mark in the conference. The Warriors have dropped seven of their last nine game and the last five straight coming off three games at home against Minnesota State University, Mankato and a double header at home versus No. 22 Augustana University. Carter Brinkman and Dane Weiland pace the WSU offense with batting averages of .310. Brinkman has six doubles and four homeruns with a slugging percentage of .510, while Weiland has hit four doubles and a pair of homers to slug .429. As a team, WSU is hitting .231 and slugging .360 with only 13 stolen bases in their 28 games. Nicolas Herold is this season's ace for the Warriors with a 3-1 record and 56 strikeouts in 31 innings and a 3.48 ERA. Kyle Gendron has made five starts and thrown 17.1 innings to post a 2-1 record with an ERA of 4.67.
UP NEXT… The Peacocks will be on the road next week with a double header at No. 22 Augustana in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Wednesday, Apr. 27 and a three-game series at Minnesota State in Mankato, Minn. on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 30 and May 1.
