Upper Iowa baseball scored their first win of the season in a big way on Sunday. The Peacocks posted a 16-4 victory in game one against McKendree University, but settled for a split on the day after dropping a 6-1 decision in game two in Alton, Ill. The split pushes UIU's record to 1-3, while the Bearcats are now 4-6.
In game one, the Peacocks got a strong start from
Jarrett Ramer (1-0). Ramer went five innings allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
Austin Shingledecker threw two scoreless innings in relief, while the offense exploded for 10 runs over the final two innings.
Ethan Sawyer and Ales Greene both recorded three hits and drove in four runs apiece, while
Samuel Grushkin had a pair of hits,
JJ Vargas knocked in three runs and Gabe Bobardier hit a home run to get the Peacocks started.
The Peacocks scored two runs in the second inning and three in the third to push out to a 5-0 lead. After the Bearcats grabbed three runs in the fourth inning, each team scored a run in the fifth inning to keep UIU ahead 6-4 heading into the final two innings.
Upper Iowa scored four runs on just one hit in the sixth inning and then added six runs on four hits in the seventh inning to run away with the 16-4 win.
In the second game, Upper Iowa only came up with five hits over the nine innings as Ryan Drayer, Luke Aubuchon and Carson Richardson kept the Peacock batters uncomfortable. UIU struck out nine times in the second contest
Kyle Hrncir made his first collegiate start, but suffered the loss after four innings of work on the bump. Hrncir allowed five runs on eight hits while striking out four batters.
Sam Marhefke,
Braden Albert and
Thane Meiners all threw in relief.
Bryce Hall had two of the Peacock hits while Sawyer, Vargas and
Ryan Hull tallied the other hits.
McKendree scored three runs in the opening inning and added two runs in the third and one more in the fifth to account for their six runs. Vargas drove in UIU's lone run in the eighth inning with a single to left center.
Upper Iowa will head to Hammond, Ind. for their a three-game series next Saturday and Sunday. PNW and UIU are lined up to play two games on Saturday, Mar. 4 and then wrap up the season with a single game on Sunday, Mar. 5.
