THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… The Upper Iowa University softball team heads to Springfield, Mo. for a six-game slate as part of the Drury Invitational from Feb. 26-28. The Peacocks will play two games each day, with Friday's action coming against Illinois Springfield at 10 a.m. and Drury at 12 p.m., Saturday's contests being against William Jewell at 10 a.m. and the Southwest Baptist at 2 p.m., and Sunday's matchups set for Midwestern State at 10 a.m. and Drury at 12 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE PEACOCKS... There are several options for staying up to date on UIU softball while the team is on the road. For the Peacock matchups against Drury University and Midwestern State University Texas, live stats produced by the opponents will be available on UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE and can be accessed through the links in this story and on the schedule. Follow @UIU_Softball on Twitter for updates on the gameday action. Final scores will be posted on Upper Iowa's official social media pages, and box scores will be posted online as soon as they become available. Be sure to follow the official UIU social media accounts to get updates on other ways to follow the softball action if they become available.

LAST AT BAT… The Peacocks are still searching for their first win of the 2021 campaign following a tough outing at the Dome Invitational. Upper Iowa dropped their last three contests by a combined 6 runs, and the team was tied in the 4th inning or later in all three of those games. Against Quincy, the score was tied 2-2 after UIU scored in their opening half of the 6th inning. The Hawks pushed a run across in the bottom of the 6th to take a 3-2 lead, and Upper Iowa was unable to rally in the top of the 7th. Against Parkside, the score was tied 3-3 after a Peacock run in the top of the 5th. The Rangers added a run in each of their next two half-innings, and UIU could not complete their comeback in the top of the 7th after bringing the tying run to the plate. Upper Iowa and Findlay were tied 1-1 after the 5th inning in their last game, but the Oilers added 2 runs in the 6th. The Peacocks got a runner on with two outs and brought the tying run to the plate in the 7th, but UIU ultimately fell 3-1.

PACING THE PEACOCKS… Kaylee Frenette has led the Peacock offense from the leadoff spot, reaching safely as the opening batter in three of the four games. She is hitting .385 to go along with a .429 on-base percentage as she has compiled 5 hits, 2 RBI, 1 walk, and is 1-1 on stolen bases in her first four games. Abby McKay has been impressive in her two starts on the mound this season as she hold a 1.62 ERA, is holding opponents to a .255 batting average, and has racked up 16 Ks with only 2 walks through 13 innings in her two complete games. McKay is also hitting .333 with an RBI in one game as a hitter.

SCOUTING THE COMPETITION… The University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars hold a 1-4 record on the season and are coming into the weekend having dropped their las two games. UIS has losses of 11 and 7 runs as well as two 1-run losses. Their lone win came in a 6-3 victory over Ferris State University. The Drury University Panthers will be playing their first game of the season against the Peacocks on Friday, Feb. 26. The Panthers were picked to finish 7th out of 15 Grand Lakes Valley Conference teams in their 2021 Preseason Coaches' Poll following a 10-10 record in 2020 before their season was halted due to the pandemic. The William Jewell College (Mo.) Cardinals enter the weekend with a 1-3 record, but are coming off a 6-5 victory over the University of Wisconsin Parkside. The Cardinals were picked to finish 11th in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll in 2020, and the team finished 10-8 in non-conference action before their season was halted. The Southwest Baptist University Bearcats will be playing their first game of the 2021 season in the Drury Invitational on Friday, Feb. 26. The Bearcats were picked to finish last in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll following a 7-12 record in their pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. The Mustangs of Midwestern State University Texas have a 4-2 record on the season, and are currently on a 3-game winning streak. The Mustangs, who were picked to finish 14th of 16 teams in the 2021 Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll following a 3-19 record in 2020, are coming off a sweep over Hardin-Simmons University in which they won 10-2 in six innings and 12-4 in five innings.