KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - Upper Iowa baseball's (17-30, 10-20 GLVC) season came to an end with a series loss to Truman State (15-33, 8-24 GLVC). The Bulldogs powered their way to a 7-3 victory over the Peacocks in Saturday's finale.
The Peacock offense had the bases loaded in the first but was unable to score. The Bulldog offense struck first in the opening inning with a Shodai Nishihara RBI single up the middle.Â
Upper Iowa immediately tied it with a two-out RBI single from Cael Luzum in the second after Kyle Hrncir reached on a bunt single. But the tie did not last long as Truman State's Charlie Berry hit a leadoff home run to start the bottom of the second inning. Joey Fentress followed with a double and eventually scored on a balk. Nick Steurer hit an RBI double to finish off a three-run second inning.Â
Steurer continued his stellar day with a two-run home run to left center in the fourth inning. Nishihara tacked on another run with an RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth to put the Bulldogs up, 7-1.
Paul Safranski led off the seventh inning by crushing his first home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall. The Peacocks scored another run in the eighth when JJ Vargas hit an RBI triple, scoring Jared Hoodjer after a walk. The late rally was not enough, and the Peacocks dropped the season finale, 7-3.
Isaiah Maes suffered the loss as he pitched 4.2 innings, giving up 10 hits and seven earned runs, while striking out three batters and walking one.Â
Four relief pitchers combined to finish off the last 3.1 innings without giving up a hit and striking out three batters. Ethan Bombardier led the charge, pitching two innings with two strikeouts, while Cameron Powell got a strikeout, Garrett Konz got two outs and Jacob Topp got the final out.Â
Luzum went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Safranski hit a home run, and Vargas had a hit with an RBI. Brock Zimmer, Gabe Bombardier, Hoodjer and Hrncir each tallied a single.
Bulldog starter Jack Pearson pitched six innings, giving up five hits, one earned run while striking out four batters, walking one and hitting one batter. Steurer went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored and hit a home run. He was a triple short of a cycle. Nishihara had a hit and two RBIs. Joey Fentress went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
The Bulldogs outhit the Peacocks, 10-8, while committing the only error of the game. Bulldog pitching struck out eight batters while walking two batters. Peacock pitching struck out six batters and also walked two batters. The Peacock offense left 10 runners on base, while the Bulldogs only left four on base.
