Upper Iowa (3-7) split their double header on the baseball diamond at Truman State University on Friday, Mar. 10 winning the first game 5-3 before dropping game two by a 10-3 count. The Bulldogs (8-7) took advantage of six runs in the first two innings of game two after the Peacocks had held them to just three total runs in the first matchup.
Austin Shingledecker (1-0) picked up the win in relief of starter
Jarrett Ramer, who threw three innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Shingledecker threw 1.2 innings and held TSU scoreless on just one hit.
Sam Marhefke came in for the save keeping the Bulldogs at bay with 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings while picking up three strikeouts.
At the plate, UIU got three hits from
Ethan Sawyer on the day, while
JJ Vargas,
Samuel Grushkin and
Ryan Hull all registered a pair of hits on the day. The Peacocks had three extra base hits including doubles from
Gabe Bombardier and Vargas and a homer in game two off the bat of
Victor Plaz.
Upper Iowa is scheduled to host William Jewell College on Wednesday, Mar. 15 and the University of Mary on Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 18-19. Any changes to the schedule will be communicated as soon as possible for the upcoming week.
Upper Iowa 5 – Truman State 3
The Peacocks didn't waste any time scratching the scoreboard in game one with a pair of runs on two hits including a RBI-double down the left field line by Vargas and a bunt single off the bat of Sawyer. After TSU took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning, UIU was able to return to the lead, 4-3, when Grushkin singled to push a run home and Sawyer added a second RBI on a sac fly to right field. Marhefke shut the door on the Bulldogs with his strong relief effort.
Truman State 10 – Upper Iowa 3
Truman State put three runs up in the first inning on a three-run home run to left field, but UIU was able to answer with a run of their own in the top of the second when Plaz hit a solo long ball. TSU added three more runs in the bottom of the second to jump out to a 6-1 lead thanks to three hits in the frame. After the Bulldogs tacked on a run in the bottom of the third, UIU was able to cut the gap back to four, 7-3, when Bombardier doubled to send Grushkin home and later scored on a Bulldog error. Truman State scored the game's final three runs in the bottom of the fifth on just two hits thanks to three walks in the inning.
Keaton Parker took the loss after starting and going just 1.2 innings. He allowed six runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Five more Peacocks climbed on the hill, including
Colin Lacey, who threw 2.1 innings of relief with one run allowed.
