The Peacocks (10-10, 6-3 NSIC) claimed a split with the Huskies of St. Cloud State University on Tuesday afternoon in Fayette. Upper Iowa lost the first game 2-0, but bounced back with a 6-3 win in game two at Robertson Woods Field. SCSU moved to 13-9 overall and 5-2 in the NSIC after the two results.
In the opener, the Peacocks managed just three hits including a leadoff double by
Alex Greene in the top of the second inning. St. Cloud State got their two runs in the fourth inning when a mile-high pop up on the infield found its way to the ground to open the frame. Two flyouts later, the Huskies had their first run on the board and added one more later in the inning.
Colin Lacey (2-3) suffered the tough-luck loss after throwing six innings and allowing the two runs on six hits while striking out five batters. A trio of pitchers worked through the seventh inning to keep the home team within two heading into their final at bats.
Drew Beier (3-1) and Grady Fuchs (5
th save) combined to throw the shutout. Beier went five full innings and gave up three hits and walked four while striking out four Peacocks. Fuchs threw two scoreless innings without giving up a hit with three strikeouts in relief.
In the second game, Greene continued to show off his power with a double in the early innings and then put the Peacocks on the board with a solo home run to left centerfield. Later in the fourth, the Peacocks put runners on first and third after the long ball and a balk allowed
Bryce Hall to head home and put UIU ahead 2-0. The Peacocks made it 3-0 in the fifth when Luzum walked to open the inning, stole second and then came home when
Ethan Sawyer doubled off the wall in left centerfield.
In the sixth, the Huskies began to finally find some success against Peacock starter
Kyle Hrncir. The freshman ran into some control issues in the sixth as St. Cloud State scored two runs on four walks and a hit batter in the frame.
Upper Iowa didn't waste any time getting their lead back to three with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth.
Caden White executed a sacrifice bunt to bring Hall to the plate and then Luzum doubled to the gap in left to send
Brock Zimmer home to put the Peacocks ahead 5-2.
St. Cloud State pulled within two, 5-3, on a RBI-single off the bat of Ben Clapp, but
Austin Shingledecker…
Greene hit a second solo homer to left in the seventh and Upper Iowa once again led by three, 6-3. The long ball capped off a four-hit, two double, two home run day for the junior from Marion, Iowa.
Sam Marhefke came on to start the eighth inning and got into trouble with a pair of runners in scoring position with one out, but the Peacock closer got out of the jam with a strikeout and a ground out. Marhefke sat the Huskies down in order in the ninth to grab his fifth save of the season.
Hrncir (2-2) got the victory with 5.2 innings allowing two runs on three hits and five walks while grabbing six strikeouts. Shingledecker through 1.1 innings allowing one run on one hit, while Marhefke got the save with two innings pitched and three strikeouts.
Eli Emerson (1-1) suffered the loss in relief giving up the two runs in the fourth inning.
In addition to Greene's big day, Zimmer had three hits on the day including a pair in the second game. Hall also had two hits in the second game.
Upper Iowa will host Southwest Minnesota State University on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 1-2. The Peacocks and Mustangs are scheduled for a first pitch at 12 p.m. both days.
