Upper Iowa baseball split with McKendree on Friday afternoon after falling in game one 8-7 in extra innings before battling back to a 16-3 victory in game two after recording seven home runs, led by Steve Marhefke with two. The Peacocks moved to 4-11 in conference play and 7-19 overall.
 
UIU plays one final game on Saturday at 12 p.m. to conclude their series with the Bearcats. 
 
GAME ONE: UIU-7, MCK-8
 
The Bearcats held a 2-0 lead in game one from the fourth inning on until the top of seventh where the Peacocks brought home three for the one-run advantage (3-2).  McKendree's defense executed two straight outs before Upper Iowa ignited their offense. Two batters were walked prior to Bryce Hall coming to the plate and hitting a bomb over the left field fence. 
 
McKendree knocked in one run in the bottom of the frame to tie the game up 3-3. 
 
Both teams had an outburst in the ninth where the contest drew to a conclusion. The visitors tallied four runs in the top of the inning behind hits from Evan Hubatch, Jared Hoodjer and Gabe Bombardier.  
 
UIU needed three outs to secure game one, but faltered to the MCK bats as the purple and gold registered three home runs in the bottom of the inning to fuel their five-run comeback to take the game 8-7.
 
The Peacocks totaled seven hits and seven RBIs while the Bearcats recorded 13 hits and eight RBIs.
 
Isaiah Maes threw for seven innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs. Jason Jennerjohn, Marcus Champagne and Thane Meiners (0-2) came out of the bullpen in relief.  
 
Ethan Sawyer and Bombardier led the team with two hits each.
 
GAME ONE: UIU-16, MCK-3
 
Determined to pick up game two after the outcome of game one, the Peacocks registered seven homers to help stack up 16 runs in comparison to the Bearcat's three. 
 
Upper Iowa collected 15 hits while the Bearcats tallied five. Bombardier led the Peacocks with seven RBIs while adding two hits. 
 
UIU led 4-1 after the completion of the fourth inning, as their other 12 runs were brought in across the six and seventh frame. 
 
Their outburst came in the sixth inning as they racked up eight runs behind five hits, including three home runs. 
 
The home-run hitters in game two were Marhefke (2), Bombardier (2), Wicklund, Hoodjer and Hubatch. 
 
Brady Stevens (2-1) picked up the victory on the mound for the Peacocks in game two. He tossed five innings and surrendered one hit and one run while striking out five. JJ Vargas threw two innings in relief, allowing three hits and two runs.