LEBANON, Ill. - UIU baseball (6-7) fell to McKendree (Ill.) (6-8) in both games on Saturday, 7-6 and 13-6, to wrap up the weekend. The Peacocks fell heartbreakingly in game one, losing on a walk-off solo home run by McKendree's Javy Gacia.
Dylan Hesch had a solid day on the mound, starting in game one. The sophomore threw five innings with four strikeouts. He allowed five hits, one earned run and didn't walk a batter.
Hudson Ivey had a solid appearance in game two, pitching two innings without allowing a run or a walk. He allowed only two hits and threw two strikeouts. Garrett Konz pitched an inning in relief as well, tossing a strikeout without allowing a hit, walk or run.
JJ Vargas led the Peacock bats with two hits, including a grand slam in game two. He also walked once and scored three runs. Hunter Jones hit a 3RBI homer in game one and totaled another RBI after bringing in a run on a hit-by-pitch. Ryne Woods hit a 2RBI single in game two. Brock Zimmer recorded two hits.
The Peacocks have their home opening weekend next, scheduled for March 6-8 against Parkside (Wis.) (8-4).
McKendree 7, Upper Iowa 6
After trailing 6-1, McKendree used a three-hit, five-run sixth inning to tie the game. It started with a two-run home run by Gavin Arseneau. After a couple of walks and a wild pitch, two RBI groundouts brought the Bearcats to within one. A Gabe Deaver double tied the game, 6-6.
McKendree pitcher Adam Galdoni struck out three Peacock batters in the top of the seventh. After Max Meuli and Arseneau grounded out in the bottom of the seventh, Javy Garcia knocked a two-out walk-off solo homer to win the game, 7-6. It was his second home run of the game after he smacked a solo homer in the second inning.
The Peacocks did their scoring in the fourth and sixth innings. After Zimmer reached on an error and Vargas singled, Jones brought them in with a 3RBI home run. UIU didn't record any hits in the sixth inning, scoring the three runs via three walks and two hit-by-pitches.
Hesch pitched the first five innings, striking out four batters while allowing five hits, one earned run and no walks. Jones had four RBIs while Braden Herr had an RBI on a groundout.
McKendree outhit UIU 9-3 while the Bearcats committed the only error of the game. The Peacocks were walked six times while McKendree was walked twice. Both teams left five runners on base.
McKendree 13, Upper Iowa 6
The Bearcats kept the momentum from the last game rolling, scoring 11 runs in the first three innings. McKendree recorded three home runs in the second inning.
Woods finally got the scoring going for UIU, hitting a 2RBI single to right center in the fifth. Herr and Ero Wallin were hit-by-pitch to get on base to score the runs. McKendree added two runs in the bottom of the inning to lead, 13-2.
In the seventh, Trevor Kelling singled, Brandon Lund walked and Jayce Klug singled. This set up Vargas for a grand slam, avoiding the run-rule to keep the game going. UIU left two runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings to lose, 13-6.
Wallin had a hit and walked twice. Klug, Vargas, Zimmer, Woods, Kelling and Lund each had a hit. McKendree's Gabe Deaver and MaMeuli each had three hits and an RBI.
Ethan Bombardier and Carson Dupuis led the Peacocks in strikeouts with three each. Ivey threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, while Konz added a strikeout.
The Bearcats outhit the Peacocks, 12-7. UIU committed the only error of the game. McKendree was walked 11 times compared to seven for Upper Iowa. The Peacocks struck out 15 times, while the Bearcats struck out nine times. Both teams left 11 runners on base.
