THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK BASEBALL… Upper Iowa will be the visitors on their own field this weekend when they host the Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth at Robertson Woods Field. The three-game series was originally set to be played in Duluth, but the Bulldogs haven't seen their field yet due to snow. UIU and UMD will play a double header on Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. and then line up against each other for the final game of the series on Sunday at 12 p.m.
LIVE OPTIONS... Both live stats and live video are available for all five games for fans who can't make it to Fayette. Fans can access the live options through the links above or by going to
UIUPeacocks.com/Live on game day. Digital gameday programs will also be available for all three days at
UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. Fans can also stream the games through the NSIC Network app on their favorite streaming devices.
ABOUT THE PEACOCKS… Upper Iowa is hitting .262 as a team with a slugging percentage of .474 and an on-base percentage of .366. The Peacocks have grabbed 30 doubles, a triple, 23 home runs, 56 walks and 26 hit batsmen. UIU is both averaging and allowing 6.7 runs per game. The pitching staff has an ERA of 7.00 allowing 91 earned runs in 117.0 innings with 104 strikeouts and 74 walks. As a team, UIU is fielding at a .960 percentage with 20 errors in their first 16 games.
NOW BATTING… Ethan Sawyer leads a trio of Peacock hitters with 16 or more hits through the early third of the season. Sawyer is hitting .333 with 19 hits including four doubles and four home runs for a slugging percentage of .614.
Cael Luzum is also hitting .333 with 16 hits including four doubles, a triple and two homers for a slugging percentage of .583 and on-base percentage of .448 thanks to five walks and five hit batsmen.
Ryan Hull stands at .321 with 12 singles, three doubles and a pair of long balls along with 10 steals in 11 tries. Sawyer leads the team in runs batted in with 19 fueled by his huge two grand slam, 10-RBI day at William Jewell.
Bryce Hall leads the team in runs scored with 16; Hall went 3-4 in the final game of UIU's double header with Bemidji State.
JJ Vargas holds a share of the team lead in home runs with Sawyer at four apiece, while both Vargas and Hall each have a team-high five doubles.
ON THE HILL… Colin Lacey,
Jarrett Ramer and
Austin Shingledecker all have a pair of wins on the mound for Upper Iowa, while
Kyle Hrncir grabbed his first win against UMary last Monday. Lacey leads the team in innings pitched with 22.1 and carries an ERA of 6.45 in his four starts and five appearances. Ramer is 2-0 in his four starts, but has allowed 15 runs across 16.0 innings. Shingledecker has been outstanding out of the bullpen with 13.2 innings in six appearances and holds an ERA of 1.98 with 14 strikeouts and a 2-1 record.
Sam Marhefke has three saves on the season and an ERA of 3.95 in his 13.2 innings.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS... Minnesota Duluth is 10-8 on the year and 3-2 in the Northern Sun after grabbing one win in their three-game series with Winona State Unviersity and then sweeping the University of Sioux Falls on Wednesday. UMD outscored USF 17-6 in the two games. As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .276 with 125 runs on 163 hits including 36 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs. Minnesota Duluth is averaging one stolen base per game. Ethan Cole leads the team in hitting with a .370 average, a .611 slugging percentage and a team-high 18 RBI. Michael Gabbard is also off to a hot start with a .340 average on 17 hits including two doubles. UMD's pitching staff has been very effective this season posting an ERA of 4.22 in 143 innings allowing just a .261 average to hitters while recording 125 strikeouts. Seven different pitchers have reached double figure inning totals, while Brayden Buttweiler owns a perfect 3-0 record in three starts and both Aaron Wukmir and Tim Pokornowski are 2-0 in their three starts.
LOOKING AHEAD… Upper Iowa continues their long home stretch with a double header against St. Cloud State University on Wednesday, Mar. 29 beginning at 1:30 p.m. The Peacocks already know that their three-game series with Southwest Minnesota State University will also be moved to Fayette next weekend due to snow coverage in Minnesota. UIU and SMSU will play two on Saturday, Apr. 1 and then one game on Sunday, Apr. 2.
