This Week in Peacock Softball...

The Upper Iowa softball team closes out the 2011 season this week with four Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheaders after last Wednesday’s two-game set with Wayne State was snowed out and moved to this Thursday, April 28.

UIU opens the week on Wednesday when the #10-ranked Vikings of Augustana visit Fayette for a 2 p.m. showdown.  The Peacocks then close out the home portion of the season when the Wildcats come to northeast Iowa on Thursday for the make-up games.  Those games are scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Peacocks hit the road for their final two doubleheaders of the season this weekend.  On Saturday, the Peacocks visit Duluth, Minn. to battle the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs before stopping in Bemidji, Minn. the next afternoon to play Bemidji State.  The first pitch for both doubleheaders is slated for 12 p.m.

Scouting the #10 Vikings

The #10-ranked Vikings of Augustana enter Wednesday’s doubleheader in Fayette with a 37-5 record overall and an 18-1 mark in NSIC play.  The Vikings have won 11 in-a-row since dropping a 3-0 decision to Minnesota Duluth on April 11.

Augustana boasts this week’s NSIC Pitcher of the Week in Chelsey Durland who was stellar in the circle last week, tossing two complete-game shutouts and allowing just three hits in 10.0 innings of work. Durland, who finished 2-0 for the week, struck out nine batters and held her opponents to a .100 batting average.

Her strongest outing came on Friday against Minnesota, Crookston when she allowed just one hit in her five innings of work. Durland is 13-2 on the season.

Scouting the Wildcats

The Wayne State College Wildcats enter a Wednesday matchup with #12-ranked Winona State carrying a 29-12 record which includes a 17-3 record in league games.  Wayne State has won their last eight ball games.

Scouting the Bulldogs

UMD enters a mid-week clash against Northern State with a 27-13 record and a 16-4 mark in league contests.  The Bulldogs, picked sixth in the preseason coaches’ poll, sit in fourth in the NSIC standings after being on the winning end of their last ten contests.

Series the Beavers

Bemidji State is 2-22 overall and 1-15 in NSIC play after dropping their last seven games by a combined score of 46-7. 

Series History

Since transitioning to NCAA Division II before the start of the 2006 season, Upper Iowa is 0-4 when playing Augustana, 2-7 when playing Wayne State, 2-6 against Minnesota Duluth and 9-0 against Bemidji State.