Upper Iowa (4-7) avenged a pair of losses from a week ago on Wednesday in Liberty, Mo. The Peacocks defeated the Cardinals of William Jewel College (13-4) by ten runs, 16-6, in a contest shortened to seven innings due to the run rule. WJC won both games last week by scores of 13-4 and 9-4.

William Jewell drew first blood with a run in the top of the first on two hits including an RBI-single from Jordan Phillips, but Upper Iowa was able to erase the deficit with a six-run second inning. The big inning for the Peacocks was highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Ethan Sawyer that followed a solo homer by Alex Greene and a bases-loaded walk by Ryan Hull.

The Cardinals got one run back in the third inning, but the Peacocks struck again with six more runs on five hits. Samuel Grushkin led off the inning with a double and Greene and Cael Luzum both singled to load the bases with one out. After Grushkin scored on a wild pitch, Justin Baehler doubled to bring in another run. Following Hull's second walk, Sawyer stepped to the plate and delivered his second grand slam in as many innings to push the Peacock lead to 12-2.

William Jewell scored a quick three runs in the fourth inning with a leadoff single, a walk and a three-run homer to deep center by Kaden Owens.

UIU got right back into the scoring column in the bottom of the fourth. Grushkin reached first after being hit by a pitch and stole second; Greene drove Grushkin in with a single to right and moved to second when Luzum walked with one out. Baehler singled through the left side to load the bases for Bryce Hall. Hall delivered a two-run double off the centerfield wall for his first hit of the game and a 15-6 advantage for UIU.

Both offenses cooled slightly in the fifth and sixth innings, but Grushkin broke the silence in the seventh inning with a home run to left that ended the game due to the run rule, 16-6.

Colin Lacey (1-2) picked up the win with four innings of work allowing six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Sam Marhefke scored a three-inning save in relief without allowing a run on one hit with one strikeout. 

Greene led five players who had a multi-hit game with three; Sawyer, Grushkin, Luzum and Baehler all registered two hits apiece. Sawyer drove in eight runs thanks to his two grand slams. 

Upper Iowa is scheduled to play the University of Mary and open their NSIC slate on Sunday and Monday, Mar. 19-20 in Fayette, but there are chances that changes will be made to the series schedule. Updates will be released on UIUPeacocks.com and UIU's social media channels.