Upper Iowa baseball brought offensive output to St. Louis, Mo., on Thursday afternoon, splitting a high-scoring doubleheader with Missouri-St. Louis. The Peacocks took game one 16-9 in commanding fashion, launching four home runs and racking up 14 hits, before falling just short in game two 7-5 despite another powerful offensive showing. Upper Iowa totaled 21 runs and eight homers across the two games, highlighted by JJ Vargas' four long balls and multi-hit performances throughout the lineup.

Graduate Gunnar Wicklund broke the single-season home run record in his first at-bat of the day, sending his 15th ball out of the yard in the 2025 campaign.

The Peacocks are back on the field tomorrow at 12 p.m. for a doubleheader to wrap up the series against the Tritons. 

GAME ONE: UIU-16, UMSL-9
Upper Iowa baseball powered its way to a dominant 16-9 win over the Tritons in game one, thanks to an offensive explosion that included five multi-run innings and four home runs.

The Peacocks wasted no time getting on the board, with Wicklund launching a two-run homer to center field in the first inning to set the tone. Jared Grams followed with a double to left field to extend the lead to 3–0 after the opening frame. 

In the fourth, Upper Iowa added four more runs behind a string of RBI hits. Bryce Hall drove in a run with a single, followed by Wicklund's two-run double and an RBI single by Zimmer to push the lead to 7–0.

Though UMSL attempted a rally with a five-run fifth inning and another surge in the seventh, the Peacocks kept their foot on the gas with a seven-run sixth inning to seal the win. The outburst was fueled by a two-run single from Grams, a three-run homer from JJ Vargas, and a two-run shot from Paul Safranski.

Wicklund finished the day with four RBIs, while Vargas led all hitters with two home runs and five RBIs. Grams added three RBIs on three hits, contributing to an offensive showcase that saw Upper Iowa post 16 runs on 14 hits.

UMSL battled back with nine runs of their own, with seven coming across the plate between the fourth and fifth innings. The Peacocks' early and middle-inning firepower proved too much to overcome.

Brady Stevens (3-3) picked up the win on the mound after throwing for five innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs. William Kiburis snagged the save on the mound after four innings of work, surrendering five hits and two runs. 

GAME TWO: UIU-5, UMSL-7
After an explosive game one win, the Upper Iowa came up short in game two of Thursday's doubleheader, falling 7–5 to the Tritons, despite a late-game push.

The Peacocks saw strong performances at the plate, including two home runs from JJ Vargas, who continued his dominant day with solo shots in the second and sixth innings. Jared Grams added a solo homer of his own in the fourth, and Gunnar Wicklund launched a deep shot to center in the seventh to bring Upper Iowa within two.

UMSL, however, capitalized on defensive miscues in the second inning, putting up four unearned runs thanks to back-to-back home runs. The Tritons extended their lead in the third with a pair of RBI hits, making it 7–1.

Upper Iowa chipped away steadily, getting within striking distance at 7-5 after Wicklund's late homer, but the rally stalled in the final frame as UMSL closed out the game to split the day.

Despite the setback, the Peacocks' offense continued to shine throughout the day, combining for 21 runs across both games with home runs from four different players.

Gabe Olson (1-3) spent 2.1 innings on the bump, allowing five hits and seven runs (three earned). Dylan Hesch pitched 3.2 innings out of the bullpen, surrendering two hits and zero runs while striking out two batters.