This Week in Peacock Softball...  The Peacock softball team returns to the field this week with six games.  The busy schedule kicks off on Wednesday with a double header against the Vikings of Grand View University in Rochester, Minn.  The games will be played at the Rochester Regional Stadium beginning at noon.  Upper Iowa will then head to St. Cloud, Minn. on Saturday and Sunday for the Husky Dome Classic hosted by St. Cloud State University.  UIU will only play once on Saturday with a game against Jamestown, but then have three games on Sunday.  The Peacocks will match up with St. Cloud State, Augustana and Valley City State.  Saturday’s game is slated for 4 p.m., while Sunday’s games will start at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
 
UIU’s run at the Desert Stinger Classic… Upper Iowa opened their 2012 campaign in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Desert Stinger Classic.  Upper Iowa went 1-4 picking up their only win against the Colorado-School of Mines, 5-4.  Katie Mnichowicz and Kylee Knop led the Peacocks at the plate with .400 averages.  Both players tallied 6 hits, while Knop had a homerun and 4 rbi’s.  Hailley Haning and Whitney Williams also hit well (.375 and .357, respectively) for the Peacocks combining for 11 hits.  Knop also led the UIU pitching staff with a 1-2 record in three starts throwing 14.2 innings while allowing 15 runs, only 7 of them were earned, and striking out 15 batters. 
 
On the horizon… UIU will head to the Mathis-Zenner Invitational hosted by Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo.  The Peacocks will face Truman State, Northwest Missouri State, Central Missouri and Missouri Southern State on Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 3-4.