By: Howie Thompson, Director of Sports Communication
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
The Peacock baseball team split with the #5 Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato this afternoon on Senior Day in Fayette. Upper Iowa took game one on Robertson Woods Field by a 5-4 score, but dropped the second game, 6-2. With the split, UIU is now 20-28 overall and 16-17 in the NSIC, while MSU moves to 37-9 overall and 25-5 in conference games.
The Peacocks recognized ten young men this afternoon. Pat Arntson, Ryan Kreiner, Brett Westra, Matt Treybig, Taylor Brecht, Juve Reyes, Rudy Casillas, Fabian Lopez, Cole Hanson and Mario Madera will all be suiting up for the final time at home this weekend.
The two teams will close out the regular season tomorrow in Fayette with a pair of games beginning at noon as the Peacocks look to claim the final berth to the NSIC Championships.
Two wins tomorrow and the Peacocks will claim sixth outright. A split tomorrow paired with at least one win by the University of Mary over the University of Minnesota Duluth will also get the job done and send UIU into the NSIC Championships.
Game One Recap
Mario Madera was the story in game one earning his seventh win of the season to go with just one loss. The senior from Buena Park, Calif. threw his sixth complete game of the year allowing four runs, three were earned, on 11 hits while striking out three Mavericks.
The Peacock offense collected 13 hits in game one and scored a run in the first and two more in the second to jump out to an early 3-0 lead.
Mikey Henrichs drove in the first run with a single, and Taylor Brecht and Tyler Adams picked up the rbi's in the second inning.
The Mavericks cut the lead to 3-2 with runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but UIU retook their three-run lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The runs came thanks to an rbi-single by Juve Reyes and a Adams' third hit of the game.
Upper Iowa needed all the insurance as Minnesota State scored two and had the tying run in scoring position with two out in the seventh, Brecht was able to track down a long, foul-flyout to end the game and preserve the 5-4 win.
John Dobson joined Adams in the three-hit club for game one, while Reyes and Brecht each had two.
Ben Kincaid took the loss for MSU falling to 6-2 after just four innings; he allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out three Peacocks.
Game Two Recap
Upper Iowa was first on the board in game two with a run on a misplay by the Maverick defense allowed Dobson to come home. The Peacock catcher had doubled to open the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Reyes.
The Mavericks tied the game in the next half inning on a pair of hits and the game remained knotted until the top of the fifth inning. MSU got two runs on a single off the bat of Pat Dockendorf to take a 3-1 lead.
Minnesota State added three more in the sixth when Mike Eckhart hit a line drive, three run shot over the wall in left.
Upper Iowa got one back in the seventh when Rudy Casillas singled in Adams, who reached on a fielder's choice. UIU would not cross the plate again as the visitors took the four-run decision.
Harvey Martin picked up his tenth win and remained undefeated this season with seven innings of work.
Brett Westra returned to the mound and made some great plays in the field but took the loss after five innings. He allowed five runs, three earned, on five hits with one strikeout.
Blake Seehusen threw very well in relieft shutting out the Mavericks from the seventh inning on and allowing just one hit while striking out one batter.