THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… Upper Iowa will take the field at the West St. Paul Dome in West St. Paul, Minn. early on Friday morning to play the University of Minnesota Duluth and Concordia University, St. Paul in non-conference action. The games were scheduled to replace the six games lost to weather at the Emporia State Classic originally scheduled for this weekend. The Peacocks will face the Bulldogs first at 7 a.m. before challenging the Golden Bears at 9:30 a.m.
 
LAST WEEKEND IN ARKANSAS… The Peacocks opened their 2019 campaign in Arkansas where Upper Iowa won four of six games including an 8-7 win over No. 20 Arkansas Tech University. Upper Iowa hit .264 and slugged .374 while scoring 30 runs between the six games. The Peacocks posted an on-base percentage of .368 thanks to their 43 hits, 25 walks and two hit batters. Katie Crogan led the offense with a .471 average fueled by eight hits including a homer and two doubles. Crogan, along with Kaylee Frenette and Ali Green, drove in six Peacocks over the weekend. Jenny Budds (.333), Sami Kay Shafranski (.318) and Jordyn Brennan (.294) joined Crogan with good weekends at the plate. Sydney Wilcox won a pair of games, while Emily Kisch and Erin Drahozal scored the other two victories. Kisch threw 17.2 innings, while Wilcox was in the circle for 14.1.
 
POWER STANCE… The Peacocks tallied 10 extra base hits last weekend with six doubles and four home runs to fuel their .374 slugging percentage as a squad. Crogan led the way with a pair of doubles and a homer, while Frenette rapped a pair of two-baggers. The ten extra-base hits accounted for 28 of Upper Iowa's 61 total bases in the six games.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS… Minnesota Duluth (2-5) participated in the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational on Feb. 1-3 where the Bulldogs picked up one win over Southeastern Oklahoma State University (6-4) and fell to their other five opponents, two of which were top-25 competition. The Bulldogs' lone victory was fueled by a five-run seventh inning and a two-run homer from Emma Frost. Jordyn Thomas (.353) and Sammi Sadler (.316) each collected a team-high six hits in the opening weekend, while Sadler and Jayme Langbehn each made their collegiate debuts in the circle. Sam Pederson amassed her first collegiate win and made three starts. UMD and CSP will play a doubleheader on Thurs. Feb. 21 before Friday's contests.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS… Concordia-St. Paul (3-2) opened the season in St. Cloud, Minn. at the Kelly Laas Memorial Invitational on Feb. 1-3. The Golden Bears picked up two victories over the University of Nebraska at Kearney (3-2, 5-4), secured a win over University of Wisconsin Parkside (2-1), and fell to Missouri Western State University (7-4). The team held a 33-30 edge in hits over their opponents, hitting for a .297 average on the weekend. CSP's pitching staff gave up only four earned runs through the team's first four games and the defense recorded a solid .975 fielding percentage. Aryka Knoche went 2-0 in the circle, while also hitting for a .462 average, recording six hits and four RBI's. Kris McIntyre went 5-of-8 (.635) at the plate and senior Justine Schattner tallied a team-high seven hits while also driving in three runs. UMD and CSP will play a doubleheader on Thurs. Feb. 21 before Friday's contests.
 
A LOOK AHEAD… Upper Iowa is not slated to compete again until Mar. 6 against Maryville University in St. Louis, Mo.