Upper Iowa baseball traveled to Bolivar, Mo., to face Southwest Baptist in a GLVC series. The Peacocks versed the Bearcats in a single nine-inning game on Friday, falling 11-8.

Southwest Baptist jumped out to an early lead, scoring ten of their 11 runs in the first three innings. Despite a late rally by the Peacocks, who scored six runs between the eighth and ninth innings, the comeback fell short.

JJ Vargas recorded the only home run of the evening, while Ethan Sawyer, Jared Grams and Bryce Hall each recorded two hits for UIU. 

Brady Stevens (2-1) took the loss on the mound after three innings of work. He allowed ten hits and ten earned runs. Cameron Powell tossed four innings out of the bullpen, striking out six batters and allowing one hit and one run. Hunter Irons pitched one inning in relief, allowing just one hit and zero runs. 

In the opening frame, the Bearcats singled to left, driving in two runs for a 2-0 lead.  SBU added five more runs in the second, highlighted by a two-RBI double and a sacrifice fly, putting SBU up 7-1 after Vargas' home run in the second

The scoring continued for the home team in the third as the Bearcats pushed the lead to 10-1.

Upper Iowa answered in the fourth, with Brock Zimmer hitting a double to bring in Bryce Gall to make it 10-2. doubling in B. Hall, unearned, to make it 10-2. 

However, SBU answered with an unearned run in the seventh, making it 11-2. 

The Peacocks mounted a comeback in the final two innings. In the eighth, UIU capitalized on a series of errors and a two-RBI double from Ethan Sawyer, cutting the deficit to 11-5. Zimmer drew a walk, bringing in another run before the inning ended, making it 11-6. In the ninth, UIU continued to rally as Jared Grams and Gunnar Wicklund each singled to bring in runs, but the Peacocks' efforts came up short, as they could not complete the comeback and fell 11-8.

The two teams return to action on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.