UIU Game Notes || NSIC Weekly Release

This Weekend in Peacock Softball... After officially kicking off the 2013 season last weekend against Colorado School of Mines, the Peacocks will now travel to the NSIC/MIAA Crossover Tournament in Rochester, Minnesota this weekend. On Saturday, UIU will begin the tournament against Truman State at 2 p.m. before taking on Northwest Missouri State at 4 p.m.  On Sunday, UIU will face Lindenwood University on field one at 8 a.m. before taking on fellow NSIC competitor Concordia University on field two at 12 p.m. in a non-conference game.

The Series... While the Peacocks are just 5-12 against the MIAA over the past four seasons, UIU does have a 2-1 record against Truman State and a 1-1 record against Northwest Missouri State in that span. This will be the first meeting between the Peacocks and the Lions in Division II play. UIU is just 2-6 against the Golden Bears since 2008.

Fast Start Fades For Peacocks... After posting eight runs in the first meeting with the Orediggers last Saturday, the Peacocks failed to score again for the rest of the weekend. Over the past two seasons, UIU is 2-2 against COSM. Anna Van Wetzinga - the Peacocks current Head Coach - came to Upper Iowa after leaving an Oredigger squad that compiled a 101-68 record over her three seasons in Golden, Colorado. Last year, the Peacocks earned a 5-4 victory over the Orediggers in the Las Vegas Desert Stinger Classic.

On Deck... Following this week’s action, the Peacocks will spend next weekend in Rochester, Minnesota. UIU will host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday, March 1st, before taking on Grand View College on Saturday, March 2nd.

Preseason Pickin’s... For the second consecutive season, Upper Iowa was selected to finish eleventh out of 16 teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference based on the 2013 Preseason Softball Coaches Poll. UIU accumulated a total of 99 points in the poll after finishing the 2012 season with a 18-35 mark - three times as many wins as the 2011 season. The Peacocks tied with St. Cloud State for 10th place in last year’s NSIC standings with a 10-16 mark in conference play.

Freshman Flood... The Orediggers were bombarded on Saturday with strong pitching from freshman Jacqueline Flood. Making her first collegiate start, Flood went six innings, struck out four batters and left seven Orediggers on base, while also contributing on offense. In the bottom of the first, Flood singled down the rightfield line to earn her first collegiate RBI as Hailley Haning crossed home plate. For her efforts, Flood was awarded the win.

Haberman’s Hot Streak... In the Peacocks opening weekend, senior outfielder Bailee Haberman picked up where she left on last season, and then some. The 2013 team captain hit .455 last weekend against the Orediggers, while scoring two of the Peacocks’ eight runs. On five hits, she had two RBI, two doubles and a slugging percentage of .636. In all, the Peacocks scored eight runs in the first four innings of Saturday’s first matchup with the Orediggers en route to an 8-7 victory. Last year, Haberman finished second on the team with 54 hits, eight doubles and 26 RBI, while hitting .333.

Power Pitching... After losing over 130 innings of starting pitching with the graduation of Kylee Knop this past offseason, the Peacocks have found sturdy replacements in the early goings of 2013. After Flood earned her first victory in a Peacock uniform on Saturday morning, sophomore Jenna Hermsen pitched seven scoreless innings before allowing a game-winning homerun to the Orediggers in the bottom of the eighth on Saturday afternoon. She saw 26 batters, struck out four and walked only two, but fell to 0-1 this season after the loss. Brooklyn Koranda came in relief for Flood on Saturday and earned the save, while Brooke Redmond appeared in two games, while earning seven strikeouts, and allowing only six hits in 6 and two-thirds innings of work.