THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… The Upper Iowa University softball team will wrap up their season-long home stand with a doubleheader against Concordia, St. Paul on Apr. 6 before taking the road for a pair of NSIC doubleheaders against SMSU and Sioux Falls on Apr. 10 and 11, respectively. Tuesday's action is set to start at 1 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday's action scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.

ATTENDANCE POLICY & LIVE OPTIONS… UIU Athletics will not restrict fan attendance for the games at Eischeid Softball Complex. Spectators will not be allowed on the field of play, on the team sidelines, or in the team dugouts any time before, during, or following competitions. In addition, fans will be asked to follow the guidelines set by Upper Iowa Athletics, and these can be found on UIUPeacocks.com. Live stats and a webcast for all the games will be available through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live and included on story. The games will also stream live on the new NSIC Network app through Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android TV. Search for "NSIC Network" to find the app on your relevant device. Locally, both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against Concordia, St. Paul will be broadcast on KCRG-TV 9.3.

LAST AT BAT… The Peacocks went 2-4 to open conference play as they hosted a trio of NSIC doubleheaders in Fayette. UIU dropped both ends of their home opener against nationally ranked Winona State by scores of 12-1 and 13-1 in five inning contests. The Peacocks bounced back with a 9-1 win over Northern State that ended on a walk-off home run in the fifth before falling 14-0 (5 inn.) in game two. Against MSU-Moorhead, Upper Iowa picked up another series-opening walk-off win as they claimed a 12-4 victory in six innings before falling 5-4 in a heartbreaking loss where they had the bases loaded with one out in a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh. 

"HULK" CROGAN… Among qualified players, Katie Crogan leads the Upper Iowa offense in nearly every major category. The Peacock power hitter leads UIU in batting average (.373), on-base percentage (.403), and slugging percentage (.746) while pacing the team with 22 hits, 15 runs batted in, seven doubles, and five home runs. Crogan's 12 runs are second to just Kaylee Frenette's 14. Crogan's seven doubles are tied for second in the NSIC, while her five homers are tied for fifth. 

PAYTON "KASTEN-HIT"... Though she sits just under the threshold required to qualify for team leaders, Payton Kastenschmidt has powered the Peacocks in the cleanup spot behind Crogan. She hits .459 and holds a .500 on-base percentage while recording a .676 slugging percentage. Kastenschmidt's 17 hits and eight RBI are third on the team, and her two home runs are tied with Amanda Williams for second on the squad.

BESTING THE GOLDEN BEARS... Concordia University, St. Paul comes into their matchup against the Peacocks with the best conference record in the NSIC at 4-0. The Golden Bears are just 10-8 on the season overall, but are coming off NSIC doubleheader sweeps of Minot State and UMary. The CSP offense hits .300 as a team with 139 hits, 90 runs (5 per game), 79 RBI, 17 doubles, one triples, and an NSIC second-best 23 home runs. The Golden Bear pitchers have posted a 3.37 ERA and 100 strikeouts while allowing a .304 average to opposing hitters. 

MANAGING THE MUSTANGS... Southwest Minnesota State University is currently tied for second in the NSIC with a 5-1 conference record. SMSU is 14-6 overall, and their four-game winning streak is tied with Concordia-St. Paul for the longest in the NSIC. On offense, the Mustangs hit .330 as a team with 187 hits, 114 runs (5.7 per game), 106 RBI, 29 doubles, seven triples, and 14 home runs. SMSU's pitchers have recorded a 3.21 ERA and 110 strikeouts while allowing a .293 batting average to opponents. The Mustangs are scheduled to play a doubleheader against Augustana prior to their matchup with Upper Iowa.

CONQUERING THE COUGARS... The University of Sioux Falls holds a record of 9-11 (3-3 NSIC) entering the week. Offensively, the Cougars are hitting .244 as a team with 132 hits, 66 runs (3.3 per game), 57 RBI, 25 doubles, one triple, and five home runs. The USF pitching staff has an ERA of 3.39, has recorded 120 strikeouts, and allows opposing batters to hit .287. The Cougars are scheduled to play doubleheaders against Wayne State and Winona State prior to their doubleheader against the Peacocks.