THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL…
Upper Iowa (14-12, 1-5 NSIC) will return to Fayette for the first time this season as they host a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, Apr. 11 against the Golden Bears of Concordia University, St. Paul at 1 p.m. at the Eischeid Softball Complex. The Peacocks will then head out on the road for this weekend's games in the SCSU Dome in St. Cloud, Minn. UIU battles the Bulldogs of the University of Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Apr. 13 at 9 a.m. before wrapping up the weekend against the SCSU Huskies on Saturday, Apr. 14 at 10 a.m. Wednesday's games will be broadcast online on UIU TV, and can be viewed in eastern Iowa on KCRG 9.2.
NOTE: Wednesday's games have been moved up an hour, from 2 p.m. to 1 p.m. CT. This weekend's games have been moved as well. The originally scheduled days of Saturday and Sunday have been moved to Friday and Saturday, Apr. 13-14. The location of the games has been moved to St. Cloud as well. Both days will be played in the dome, with UIU playing at 9 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.
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PEACOCK STORYLINES...
CLOSE GAMES: Two weeks ago, Upper Iowa opened their NSIC slate with matchups against No. 8 Winona State, Southwest Minnesota State, and Sioux Falls, going 1-5 in those games. Tough, close losses were the theme, as UIU dropped a 9-8 decision to SMSU, and a pair of one-run affairs to USF. The Peacocks led 7-0 against the Cougars, before falling late, and dropped a 4-3 game in the finale with a runner in scoring position when the final out was recorded. For the season, the Peacocks are 3-5 in one-run games, and 2-2 in two-run affairs.
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DOUBLE DEUCES: Sydney Wilcox (#22) made a big impact in the circle a couple weeks ago for the Peacocks. The freshman appeared in three games, making a pair of starts against SMSU and USF. Wilcox went the distance against the Mustangs, tossing seven innings allowing just one earned run on five hits. The Shiocton, Wis. native tallied four strikeouts in the game, while allowing just one walk in the second game of the doubleheader. For the season, Wilcox is 2-1 with a 3.88 earned run average, and has tallied 13 strikeouts in seven appearances.
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FOUR SCORE AND 10 WINS AGO: The fourth inning has been key for the Peacocks in 2018. When the team gets through the fourth inning with the lead, they are 10-3 this season. On the other side of things, UIU is 2-9 when trailing at the four-inning mark. When the team leads after five, they are 9-1, and when the Peacocks hold an advantage going to the seventh, they are a perfect 10-0.
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KEEP SLUGGING, YOUNG ONE: Freshman
Katie Crogan is hitting for power for the Peacocks this season, leading the team with a .596 slugging percentage. Crogan has played in all 26 games and leads the way with seven doubles and five home runs. Her 21 runs batted in lead the teeam, and her 17 runs scored tie for the team lead as well.
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