GAMES 26 & 27	GAMES 28 & 29	GAMES 30 & 31
AT AUGUSTANA	VS ST. CLOUD STATE	VS MINNESOTA DULUTH
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.	FAYETTE, IOWA	FAYETTE, IOWA
TUESDAY, MARCH 31 || 3/5 PM	FRIDAY, APRIL 3 || 1/3 PM	SATURDAY, APRIL 4 || 12/2 PM
LIVE: STATS || VIDEO	LIVE: STATS || VIDEO	LIVE: STATS || VIDEO

THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL

Upper Iowa heads to Augustana for a doubleheader before returning home for the home opener against St. Cloud State followed by another home set against Minnesota Duluth. The Peacocks will play the Vikings of Augustana on Tuesday, Mar. 31, with the first game starting at 3 p.m. UIU then faces off against the Huskies of St. Cloud State on Friday, Apr. 3, with game one beginning at 1 p.m. The Peacocks close out the weekend in Fayette against the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Apr. 4, starting at 12 p.m.
 

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GAME NOTES: UPPER IOWA || AUGUSTANA || ST. CLOUD STATE || MINNESOTA DULUTH || NORTHERN SUN
   

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KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER

1       PICKING UP THE HITTING:  Upper Iowa broke out of a prolonged hitting slump of scoring four or less runs in 15 straight games until the Peacocks scored six against Bemidji State in game two. UIU raised its team batting average by 23 points after hitting .376 against the Beavers and Golden Eagles. The Peacocks also had 14 extra-base hits in the four games after combining for just 24 in their first 21 games.
 
2      JACQ'ED UP: Junior Jacqueline Flood has been on a roll of late, collecting 8 hits in 15 at bats (.533), slugged .867 and had an .588 on-base percentage last weekend to lead UIU. Flood also scored a team-high 6 runs and brought home 5 RBIs, while tossing two complete games in two starts, going 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. 
 
3       HOME RUN HERMANAS:  In the middle of the Peacock lineup, junior Erica Kirgan and sophomore Katie Sammons have provided some pop. In a 6-2 win over Minnesota Crookston, the duo hit back-to-back home runs, sparking a four-run fourth inning to give UIU the lead. Sammons was 4-for-4 in that game, scored a run and had two RBIs. In game one of the doubleheader, Kirgan was 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

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ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

vs. AUGUSTANA: The Vikings are the NSIC's top team so far this season with a  25-5 overall record and 6-0 mark in conference. Augustana has won eight in a row and 15 of 16 overall. The Vikings boasts one the nation's top hitters in senior pitcher Jenelle Trautmann. Trautmann leads the country in home runs with 14, is second in slugging percentage at 1.077 and 12th in on-base percentage. She also has a 15-1 record on the mound with a 2.54 ERA.

vs. ST. CLOUD STATE: The Huskies are 18-12 overall and 4-2 in conference after sweeping Concordia and splitting with Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth. SCSU has picked up wins in seven of their last ten games. St. Cloud State is led at the plate by sophomore first baseman Jessica Goerger. Goerger ranks 14th in the conference in batting average (.400), 10th slugging percentage (.660) and is 12th in on-base percentage (.465). 

vs. MINNESOTA DULUTH: The Bulldogs are 19-10 this season and 3-3 in conference, having split with St. Cloud, Minnesota State and Concordia. Minnesota Duluth has gotten a boost from a pair of freshmen Becky Smith and Hannah Schmoll. Smith is tied for the team lead with six home runs, while Schmoll leads the team in batting average at .413.