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THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL... Upper Iowa returns from Hawai'i only to leave town again this week. On Wednesday, the Peacocks will travel south to St. Louis, Missouri to face the Tritons of UMSL (8-2) in a twin bill beginning at 3 p.m. This doubleheader will be the final non-conference competition for UIU this season.
 
LAST WEEK... The Peacock softball team split its matchups this past week in Honolulu, Hawai'i. UIU split with Chaminade University on Tuesday night thanks to a shutout pitching performance from Brooke Redmond. The visitors then swept Hawai'i Pacific University on Wednesday night led by an outstanding performance from Jacqueline Flood. The Peacocks' sophomore pitcher threw 12 innings and made two appearances in the pitching circle in game one to lead her team to a 6-5 victory in14 innings of play. UIU then took game two, 3-1, with Erica Kirgan adding an insurance run in the sixth inning with a solo home run. Unfortunately, the Seasiders of BYU-Hawai'i crashed the Peacocks' beach party on Thursday by sweeping UIU, 2-0 and 2-1. Strong pitching from the Seasiders and untimely hits from Upper Iowa proved to be a lethal combination. UIU was held to just four hits in each game and the Peacocks stranded a total of nine runners on the bags.
 
ON DECK... Following Wednesday's doubleheader with UMSL, the Peacocks will begin the 2014 NSIC regular season. Next Tuesday, UIU is slotted to host the Warriors of Winona State at 2 p.m. in the Eischeid Softball Complex.
 
"BROOKE," LINE & SINKER... Left-handed pitcher Brooke Redmond posted a 0.70 ERA this past week en route to a 2-1 record. The sophomore southpaw, who improved to 6-5 this year, gave up 17 hits in 20 innings of work while racking up 6 strikeouts. Redmond led the Peacocks to three wins in the Aloha state including her first shutout of the season as UIU defeated Chaminade University, 3-0, this past Tuesday. In that game, Redmond went the distance allowing just five hits while striking out and walked two batters. In all, Redmond allowed just three runs to opponents, two of which were earned runs. She finished the week with three complete games under her belt while allowing just one extra-base hit to opponents.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE... Sophomore infielder Erica Kirgan posted a .381 batting average and earned 4 RBIs this past week as UIU split its six matchups in Hawai'i. Kirgan earned her first and second home runs of the season in back-to-back games while posting a slugging percentage of .762. Kirgan collected eight hits in 21 at-bats, while adding two doubles and three runs scored to her stat line. She now has five home runs and five doubles in her young career. With power like that, she's double trouble for opponents.
 
"THREE" 96... Adrienna Olson (#3) is leading the team in hitting through 18 games with a .396 batting average. This past week in Hawai'i, the senior infielder hit .386 while driving in three runs. Olson's home run against Chaminade University this past Tuesday night propelled the Peacocks to a 3-0 victory to start their road trip, but she wasn't the first batter to knock one over the fence. Erica Kirgan waited until the top of the seventh to rope a 2-0 pitch over the centerfield wall. Two batters later, Olson followed suit. The St. Olaf, Iowa native homered to right field and brought Katie Sammons home from first on the play. The two jacks proved to be all the offense UIU would need to secure the win. For Olson, it was her sixth home run of her career.
 
LUCKY NO. 13... UIU's Shelby Crist has impressed the Peacock coaching staff this year. After transferring in from Kirkwood Community College this past offseason, Crist has edged her way into the starting lineup. This past week in Hawai'i, she started all six games at catcher and was shuffled around in the hitting order. Against Chaminade, she saw action in the two-hole and earned three hits. Then on Wednesday against Hawai'i Pacific, she found herself hitting sixth in the lineup adding three hits and an RBI. Crist rounded out the trip by adding a hit in one of two games against BYU-Hawai'i despite the Peacocks' struggles in that game. In all, the junior hit .350 and had the second-most hits (7) on the team this past week. She also added two runs scored to her stat line.
 
JUST GO WITH THE "J-FLO"... Over the first month of the season, Head Coach Amanda Braberry has relied on her two sophomore pitchers and she will continue to do so throughout the remainder of the year. Both Brooke Redmond and Jacqueline Flood have shown consistency, power and a little trickery from the pitching circle. That's not a good combination for opponents. Take for example, Flood's work against HPU this past Wednesday in game one. The Mount Vernon, Illinois native pitched the first nine innings before earning a rest. She sat out the next three innings, but came back in the 12th to finish off the Sea Warriors. Flood escaped a jam in the bottom of the 12th with two runners on by earning back-to-back outs on a sac-bunt and a fielder's choice before getting the final out on a pop-up. She later retired five straight batters in the 13th and 14th innings. After earning a run in the top of the 14th, Flood clinched the 6-5 win for the Peacocks by earning her fourth strikeout of the game in the bottom of the inning. In all, the sophomore pitched 12 innings, allowed eight hits and five runs (4 earned runs), while walking four and striking out four.

FOLLOW ALONG... Wednesday's live option links will be provided by the UMSL Athletics Department. Live Stats