THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL…
Upper Iowa (12-4, 0-0 NSIC) heads south for their final non-conference games of the season this weekend at the HyVee Softball Classic. With weather affecting most of the original tournament in St. Joseph, Mo., the Peacocks will now go to two different locations for four games. UIU will head to Maryville, Mo. first on Saturday, March 17 for a matchup with the host Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State University at 11 a.m. before squaring off with the Jennies of the University of Central Missouri at 1 p.m. On Sunday, March 18, the Peacocks will travel over to St. Joseph for a game with the host Griffons of Missouri Western State University at 10 a.m. before closing with the Ichabods of Washburn University at 4 p.m.
PLEASE NOTE: All games will be have live stats available. Northwest Missouri State is the host on Saturday, and will provide live stats for both game. On Sunday, Missouri Western State is the host, and will provide live stats for all games played that day.
PEACOCK STORYLINES...
HISTORIC START: The Peacocks are 12-4 through their first 16 games, marking the best start in school history at the NCAA Division II level. Upper Iowa went 6-2 over Spring Break at the PFX Games in Clermont, Fla. with multiple close victories. Highlighted on the trip was a 3-2 victory in nine innings over Mercyhurst, a 3-1 win over the Findlay Oilers, and a miraculous 7-6 win in 10 innings over Notre Dame (Ohio). UIU trailed 5-1 in the eighth inning, only to keep extra innings alive with a four-run frame to tie it. Trailing 6-5 in the 10th, UIU tied the game, then won in walk-off style in the bottom of the inning.
PITCHING DUO: Junior transfer
Jaclyn Thompson and sophomore
Emily Kisch are racking up wins in the circle for the Peacocks in the early going this season. Thompson is 4-2 on the year with a team-leading 2.88 earned run average. Kisch has seven wins already in 10 appearances, and leads the team in innings pitched with 53.0. As a pitching staff, Upper Iowa is allowing just a .214 batting average to their opponents.
EARLY AND LATE: When the Peacocks score first this season, they are a perfect 6-0. Included in those good starts are a 3-0 record when the squad scores in the first inning. When Upper Iowa can get scoring right away, their pitching staff can take over and hold a lead late. UIU has also been strong late, going a perfect 9-0 when leading after six innings in 2018, with their stellar late-game pitching to close down games at the end.
