Fayette, Iowa – The Northern State University baseball team opened their weekend series against Upper Iowa University with a split. The Wolves defeated the Peacocks 5-3 in game one, however fell 19-9 in eight innings in game two. Northern ends the day 10-6 overall and 3-1 in league action, while the Peacocks move to 8-9 overall and 4-2 in the NSIC. 
 
Game 1
 
The Wolves opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, led off by a Kolin Kubitz ground out to second base, scoring Easton Lopez who was hit by a pitch with one out. Jack Schmidt followed with a single through the left side, scoring both Mikey Barreneche and Tyler Gripentrog who had singled in the inning.
 
Northern added a pair of runs in the sixth, which would hold on for the 5-3 victory. Mikey Barreneche led off the inning with a single to right center, and was quickly advanced to second by Gripentrog on a sacrifice bunt. Kubitz again stepped to the plate with a runner in scoring position, belting a double to center field. The junior came around to score just two at-bats later on Matt Stubb's single to left.
 
The Peacocks fought back in the sixth and seventh dwindling the NSU lead to just two, however senior Dillon Lee stepped in and earned his second save of the year. Ace Colton Boucher earned his fourth win of the season, throwing 6.1 innings. The senior gave up three earned runs on five hits, while striking out four.
 
Barreneche led the NSU offense going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Jack Schmidt followed with two hits and a team leading two RBI. Gripentrog, Kubitz, Stubbs, Lopez, Lucas Lorenz, and Preston Brown each notched a hit, bringing the team total to 11.
 
Game 2
 
Northern started out hot again in the second game of the day, taking a quick 7-1 lead through the first four innings of action. Upper Iowa then began to chip away at the NSU lead with four runs in the fifth and sixth, as well as another ten runs in the seventh and eighth. The Wolves were unable to hold on to the lead and fell 19-9 in just eight innings of play.
 
The two team's each tallied 16 hits in the game, however five errors and ten unearned runs led to the Wolves demise. Cody Vandever started on the hill for the Wolves, throwing five complete innings while giving up just one earned run on five hits. Vandever added five strikeouts, although the team struggled on defense giving up four unearned runs. Isaiah Greene, Nate Zeise and Jason Rudolph entered in relief, with Greene suffering the loss.
 
A total of six Wolves recorded multiple hits in the game, led by Lucas Lorenz and Preston Brown. Lorenz went 3-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored. Brown added another two runs and two RBI, while hitting 3-for-4 in the loss. Mikey Barreneche, Jack Schmidt, and Matt Stubs each tallied two hits in the game. Rounding out the team total was Ben Allen, Easton Lopez, Ashton Williamson, and Kolin Kubitz with one hit apiece.
 
The Wolves return to action tomorrow from Fayette with a pair of games beginning at 12 p.m. from Robertson Woods Field.