THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… UIU travels to Sioux Center, Iowa for multiple double headers. The Peacocks will meet with St. Cloud State on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 6 and 8 p.m. before matching up with Winona State on Monday, Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPENING WEEKEND… The Peacocks opened the season at the MSU Invitational, where they posted a 1-3 record. UIU defeated Concordia-St. Paul in a high-scoring 8-6 victory, and averaged five runs per game throughout the tournament which were scored by nine different players. Senior Ari Charles had a phenomenal start to the season as she recorded a .533 average with eight hits. She recorded at least one run in all four of Upper Iowa's games and added a triple against Minnesota State. Senior Rae VanMilligan posted a .417 average with five hits. She scored at least one run and one RBI in the Peacocks final three games of the tournament and hit a home run against Concordia-St. Paul. Senior Laila Pelds recorded a .385 average with five hits. Her best game came against Concordia-St. Paul where she scored two runs and hit a three-run homer. Pelds finished the tournament with a team-high six RBIs. Sophomore Serah Shafer hit a .333 average with four hits and two RBIs which came against Minnesota Duluth. She successfully stole a base five out of five times, and tied Charles for most runs throughout the tournament with five. Senior Delaney Vetter pitched two complete games against Minnesota State and Concordia-St. Paul where she recorded a 3.77 ERA and threw six strikeouts.

SCOUTING ST. CLOUD STATE… The Huskies have started the season 3-0, highlighted by a 19-3 mercy rule victory against Black Hills State on opening day. Sophomore Justyce Porter hasn't allowed a single run in seven innings pitched and have recorded four strikeouts on the season. Junior Reese Holzhueter and graduate Holly Weinberger have both recorded a .600 average with six hits and four RBIs. Weinberger has scored two runs, while Holzhueter has scored five times, while hitting three doubles, a triple, and a home run. Junior Maggie Fitzgerald has posted a .444 average and leads the team with two home runs and seven RBIs.

AWAITING WINONA STATE… The Warriors have opened the season with a 1-1 record and are coming off a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Grand View in five innings. Junior Abby Smith recorded a complete game with four strikeouts in the shutout, and only allowed five hits on the day. Junior Zoe May has gotten on base in all three of her at bats on the year and she leads the team with five RBIs. Five players are tied for most runs on the team with two and freshman Kiley Slaats has a team-high five hits in only six at bats.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS… The Peacocks will participate in the Lewis Flyer Dome Invitational, where they will play six games over a three-day span.

• Thursday, Feb 22: Minnesota Duluth (6 p.m.) | Purdue University Northwest (8 p.m.)
• Friday, Feb. 23: Parkside (1:30 p.m.) | Hillsdale College (6 p.m.)
• Saturday, Feb. 24: Minnesota State University Moorhead (3:30 p.m.) | Bemidji State (6 p.m.)