For the second straight year, Upper Iowa opens its season this weekend at the Arkansas-Monticello 8-State Classic
in Bentonville, Ark. The tournament features 31 teams from four different conferences. The MIAA and GAC have the most representatives with 10 teams each, while the GLVC has seven. Upper Iowa is one of four NSIC teams playing, along with Minnesota State, Minnesota Duluth and Wayne State.The Peacocks will play six games across the three days, starting with a matchup against Pittsburg State University on Friday morning at 9 a.m.
There are no live options for the games. Results and recaps will be posted as soon as they are available. Comprehensive stats may not be available until the team returns to Fayette.
Upper Iowa returns players all but three players from a team finished the 2015 season 23-30 overall and 18-12 in the Northern Sun, earning a six seed in the conference tournament despite being picked 10th in the NSIC Preseason Poll. The 18 conference wins set a new school record for conference wins in a season. UIU had two players selected to All-NSIC teams as Jaqueline Flood was named to the First Team and senior
Shelby Crist was given the NSIC Gold Glove at catcher.
Here is the first look at the 2016 Peacock softball team, breaking down the pitchers and catchers, infielders and outfielders.
Pitchers and CatchersReturning:
Jacqueline Flood(P),
Brooke Redmond(P),
Tara Duran(C),
Shannon Nix (C)
Newcomers:
Courtney Clayberg (P),
Erin Drahazol (P)Spotlight on Returners: The Peacocks return a pair of senior pitchers who started 87 of the 102 games played over the last two seasons. Flood led the pitching staff last year with a 13-13 record and a 4.46 ERA, while Redmond has a career record of 35-30 record with a 4.38 ERA. UIU will be making a change at catcher this season, with the duties falling to Duran and Nix. Duran is a fifth-year senior who sat out last year due to injury. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native has played in 117 games and is a .262 career hitter, with 16 doubles and a pair of home runs. Nix, a sophmore, played in five games as a true freshman and picked up a pair of RBI on her lone hit of the year.
Highlighting the Newcomers: Drahozal, a First Team All-Metro, All-District, All-Conference and All-State pitcher and infielder from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, posted career record of 74-30 record in the circle with an earned run average of 2.17. Clayberg, a pitcher from Ankeny, Iowa, compiled a 59-35 record with a 3.46 ERA in her high school career.
InfieldersReturning: Flood,
Erica Kirgan,
Riley Kruel,
Lauren Marlinghaus,
Mara JonesNewcomers:
Julia Buffington, Drahazol,
Serenity Higgins,
Hannah Holthaus,
Tara WallsSpotlight: For the second straight year, the Peacocks return multiple infield starters. Flood had one of the best single-seasons at the plate in UIU history and earned All-NSIC First Team honors. The senior
set new single-season team records in hits (69), runs scored (44) and RBIs (52). Her on-base percentage (.503) and home run total (11) rank second in single season history, while her season slugging percentage (.731) and batting average (.431) are third best. Kirgan is currently tied for the most home runs in Upper Iowa softball history with 24 heading into her senior season, while Marlinghaus is the Peacock active leader in doubles with 29 and has 15 home runs to her credit. Kruel hit .239 last season, but will look to get back to her freshman year form when she hit .313. Jones gives UIU an experienced bat off the bench.
Highlighting the Newcomers: Buffington was a four-year starter at Andover High School and had a career on-base percentage north of .450 and could contribute on the Peacock infield. Drahozal his over .400 in each of her last two years at Xavier High School, totalling 20 home runs and 25 doubles as a junior and senior. Holthaus was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection as a senior and hit .444 as a junior at Nashua-Plainfield High School. Walls comes to Upper Iowa after a successful two-years at Kirkwood CC. In high school, Walls was a four-time All-State honoree from Clear Creek Amana High School. Higgins joins the UIU softball team after serving as a student-manager last year.
OutfieldersReturning:
Sammy Garrett,
Katie Sammons,
Alexandra RobyNewcomers:
Jenny Budds,
Sami Kay ShafranskiSpotlight: Upper Iowa brings back two-thirds of its outfield from the 2015 season. Garrett was the Peacocks everday centerfielder last season and hit .279 with 11 stolen bases. Sammons made the majority of her starts in left field and hit .308 with six home runs and 25 RBI. Roby saw action in 14 games last season as a freshman, primarily as a pinch runner.
Highlighting the Newcomers: UIU has a pair of freshman vying for that final outfield spot. Budds was named All-Conference, All-Area Honorable Mention, All-Area Naperville Sun as a senior. Shafranski helped Pacelli High School to a second state championship in her career by hitting .500 her senior season and earning All-State honors.
