BETTENDORF, IA, IL – Back-to-back big innings by the University of Mary hitters in the opening game carried the Marauders to a road split with Upper Iowa University in Northern Sun baseball. The Marauders posted a season-high in runs to win game one 12-7 before the Peacocks rallied to an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.
UMary is 7-9 on the season overall and 4-1 in the Northern Sun to sit third in the league standings after one week. Upper Iowa is 5-5 and 2-3.
GAME 1 UMary 12 Upper Iowa 7
Hitting a home run in his third straight game and driving in three runs,
Darius Barlas led a Marauders attack that posted five extra base hits and 12 runs, both season highs. Barlas scored twice and was one of three Marauders with a pair of hits. Freshmen
Braeton Wixo and Williams Kranz also had a pair of knocks apiece, including a double for both. Krnaz also scored twice and had an RBI and Wixo drove in two runs.
PIVOT POINT
Down 2-0, the Marauders exploded for six runs in the third inning and five more in the fourth.
Jaxon Kostka scored UMary's first run of the third inning on a double play. Despite the two outs the Marauders weren't done. After a walk placed a second runner on base,
Jesus Payan tripled down the right field line to score both and give UMary a lead at 3-2. A wild pitch scored Payan and the Marauders lead doubled to 4-2. Two more walks led to two more Marauders runs and a 6-2 lead on a two-base blast by Wixo…. UMary increased its advantage to 11-2 with five runs in the fourth, capped by a 3-run Barlas home run.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Darius Barlas was 2x3 with two runs scored, three RBIs and a home run. He also walked and stole a base.
- Jesus Payan was 1x3 with a triple, two runs scored, two RBIs and a steal
- Braeton Wixon finished 2x4 with a double and two RBIs
- Jaxon Ford reached base three times and scored twice, going 1x2 with two walks
- William Kranz finished 2x2 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI
- Fr. RHP Jonathan Draheim earned his first collegiate win, allowing three runs in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.
STAT OF THE GAME
Five of the Marauders ten hits went for extra bases… UMary also was perfect in four steal attempts.
GAME 2 Upper Iowa 8 UMary 5
Taking advantage of early miscues, the Marauders jumped out to a 4-2 lead but was unable to hold the Peacocks off. Upper Iowa outscored UMary 6-1 down the stretch to end the Marauders four-game win streak.
PIVOT POINT
UMary scored four times in the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead. The last three runs scored on a 2-out, bases loaded throwing error by Upper Iowa. The Peacocks tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and took the lead in sixth inning on a 2-out 2-run home run by Steve Diderrich. UMary couldn't match Upper Iowa's momentum as Peacocks pitchers Alexander Morales and Parker Kray retired 11 straight Marauders hitters from the final out of the fifth inning to one out in the ninth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Connor Doll was 3x5 with a run scored and an RBI
- Chris Scott was 2x5 with a run scored
- William Kranz had an RBI, scored a run and had a steal
- Jaxon Ford doubled, scored a run, walked and went 1x3
- Colin Gudereit allowed three earned runs in five innings, striking out two and walking one
- Morales for UIU allowed one earned run on five hits and three walks in six innings while striking out seven
STAT OF THE GAME
The top two hitters in the Marauders lineup – Doll and Scott - combined for five of the Marauders eight hits in the game.
SCHEDULE
The Marauders next face defending NCAA champion Augustana on March 23-24 in Sioux Falls, SD. The two teams will play a pair of games on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
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