Upper Iowa baseball split their doubleheader with Rogers State, falling in game one by a 16-8 decision but bouncing back for game two with an 8-7 victory. The Peacocks claimed their first win of the season and now sit at 1-2 on the year after the series with RSU. 
 
Game two was captured in dramatic fashion as Gabe Bombardier hit a home run in the 10th inning to seal the one-run win. 
 
The Peacocks are back in action next week, Feb. 14-16, in Hammond, Ind. against Purdue University Northwest. 
 
Game One- UIU-8, RSU-16
Upper Iowa got things rolling early in the first inning, as Gabe Bombardier delivered a two-RBI single to left field, bringing in Jared Grams and Ethan Sawyer to give the Peacocks a 2-0 lead. However, Rogers State responded quickly in the bottom of the inning, with an RBI single cutting the lead to 2-1.

The Hillcats continued to rally in the following innings. Peninger's solo home run in the second inning tied the game at 2-2. Then, a big three-run third inning for Rogers State, highlighted by a two-RBI double and a couple of other timely hits, pushed the Hillcats ahead 7-3.

Upper Iowa responded with a run in the fourth, with Jared Hoodjer's RBI groundout bringing in Bombardier to make it 8-4. However, Rogers State kept the pressure on, adding five more runs over the next two innings. The Hillcats capitalized on a Peacock error and wild pitch, driving in a couple more runs with timely hits to increase their lead to 13-4 by the fifth.

In the sixth, Gunnar Wicklund's sacrifice fly scored Grams to cut into the deficit, making it 13-5. Then, in the seventh, Ethan Sawyer's RBI double drove in Bryce Hall and advanced Justin Baehler to third, trimming the deficit to 14-6.

However, Rogers State continued its offensive output. They saw another home run again in the seventh, extending their lead to 15-6. Upper Iowa retaliated and scored two more in the eighth through an RBI groundout from Brock Zimmer and a single from Hall, but it wasn't enough to match RSU. The Hillcats sealed the victory, adding one more run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI groundout to take the game 16-8.

Hall and Sawyer paced the Peacocks at the plate with two hits apiece. Bombardier notched a team-high two RBIs. 
 
Isaiah Maes (L, 0-1) took the loss for Upper Iowa, pitching 2.1 innings. He allowed 7 hits 7 runs (all earned), walked 4, and struck out 1. Mason Adkins followed, tossing 2.2 innings. He gave up 7 hits and 6 runs (3 earned), walked 2, and struck out 2. Jacob Topp provided the longest outing for the Peacocks, going 3.0 innings. He allowed 3 hits and 3 runs (all earned), struck out 2, and walked 1.
 
Game Two-UIU-8, RSU-7
In a thrilling back-and-forth game that went into extra innings, Upper Iowa held off Rogers State 7-6, thanks to a home run in the 10th inning from Bombardier. 

Rogers State jumped out to an early lead in the second inning with a two-run rally.  A double followed by a groundout scored two Hillcat baserunners to go ahead 2-0. However, Upper Iowa responded in the third inning with a bang as Hoodjer hit a two-run home run, scoring Stellmacher, to tie the game at 2-2.

The Peacocks took their first lead in the fifth inning. Sawyer's double brought in Sage Stellmacher, while Wicklund followed with a two-run home run to right center, scoring Sawyer and putting Upper Iowa ahead 5-2.

Rogers State fought back in the fifth as an RBI single and base hit cut the Peacocks' lead to 5-4. RSU's RBI groundout tied the game at 5-5 as the Hillcats clawed their way back into the contest.

The teams continued to trade runs into the later innings. In the seventh, Wicklund reached on a throwing error, which allowed Grams to advance to third and Sawyer to score, putting Upper Iowa back on top 6-5. But in the ninth, the Hillcats reached on an error which allowed them to score a runner, bringing the game to a 6-6 tie.

Finally, in the 10th, with the game on the line, Bombardier came through with a clutch solo home run to left field, giving Upper Iowa a 7-6 lead and ultimately sealing the victory in extra innings.

Sawyer went 3-5 at the plate, followed by Bryce Hall, who went 2-4. Hoodjer added two RBIs. 

Steve Marhefke started for Upper Iowa and pitched 5.0 innings, allowing 7 hits and 5 runs (5 earned). He walked 1 batter, struck out 4, and hit 1 batter.

Tyler Glowacki came on in relief and earned the win (W, 1-0) after 4.0 solid innings of work. He allowed just 2 hits and no runs, walking 4 batters and striking out 6.

JJ Vargas closed the game with a perfect inning, striking out 2 batters and facing just 3 hitters. Vargas earned his first save with a clean performance.