FAYETTE, IOWA – The University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (10-30, 8-19 NSIC) received solid pitching plus two hits and three RBI from all-region infielder Josh Rehwaldt and earned a split of a road Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader with Upper Iowa at Robertson Woods Field. After losing a heartbreaker in game one, 1-0, USF responded with some big offense by exploding for five runs in the sixth inning of a 7-1 game two victory. USF and UIU will close out a three-game NSIC series with a game at noon on Saturday (April 20).

Josh Rehwaldt and Trey Hubers led USF's offensive attack on the day as USF ended a six-game losing streak. Rehwaldt, who improved his season average to .331, had three hits in seven at bats with a team-best three RBI. He had a double and a pair of singles on the day. As for Hubers, he was 3-of-4 with a run scored, two walks, and a stolen base. Hubers had a .833 on-base percentage by reaching five of six times during the day. USF also had two hits from both freshman outfielder Connor King and sophomore shortstop Grant Lung.

As for the pitching, USF had a trio of stellar efforts as Christian Lazar, Keenahn Coyle and Matt Graham combined to allowed just two earned runs and piece together a 1.17 earned run average. USF totaled 13 strikeouts with Keenahn Coyle totaling eight in a game one loss.

Game 1 - Upper Iowa 1 Sioux Falls 0
In a pitcher's duel, Upper Iowa's Duncan Snider had the upper hand against USF's Coyle. Both pitchers held the offenses in check until Jack Thode's walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning brought home pinch runner Dalton Steere, who replaced Riley Braughton after he opened the seventh with a single.

Coyle (0-7) took the loss after allowing six hits and one earned run while tying his career-high (Bemidji State, April 8) of eight strikeouts after working 6 1/3 innings. Snider earned the victory as he limited USF to five hits and had eight strikeouts in throwing a complete game shutout.

USF's offense was led by King with two singles while Rehwaldt had a double and Trey Hubers also had a base hit. Six Upper Iowa players recorded base hits.

Game 2 – Sioux Falls 7 Upper Iowa 1
Led by a combined two hitter from Matt Graham and Christian Lazar plus an offensive explosion, the Cougars earned a split of a doubleheader with UIU.

Starter Matt Graham did not figure in the decision but he was effective by throwing 4 2/3 innings and allowing just two hits and one run with two strikeouts and four walks. Senior reliever Christian Lazar (4-1) continued his dominating ways. Lazar entered the game in the fifth inning and shut down a threat by the Peacocks. He picked up his fourth win in five decisions and threw 4 1/3 innings of no-hit relief with had three strikeouts. As a result, he lowered his earned run average to 2.05 in 18 appearances. In 26 1/3 innings, he has 36 strikeouts against four walks and allowed just six earned runs. Since April 3, Lazar has thrown 14 2/3 innings and allowed just eight hits, no earned runs with 16 strikeouts.

After freshman centerfielder Connor King reached on a walk with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Rehwaldt had the first of his two run-scoring base hits as USF tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning. Then, Lung doubled and Rehwaldt moved to third and later scored on a squeeze bunt play by sophomore Alex Robinson for a 2-1 lead.

RBI-producing hits from Rehwaldt and Lung helped USF put up five runs in the sixth inning to break out a close game and give the Cougars a 7-1 lead.  Rehwaldt had a two-run single and Lung an RBI single. For Lung it was his team leading 31^st RBI and Rehwaldt now has 27 on the season.   After that inning, Lazar dominated and secured USF's 10^th win of the season.