THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK SOFTBALL… Upper Iowa will take on the Alvy Early Memorial Classic in Bentonville, Ark. The Peacocks will begin the three-day tournament on Friday, Feb. 7 against Washburn at 11 a.m. and Missouri Southern at 1:30 p.m. They will then face Northwest Missouri State (11 a.m.) and Newman (1:30 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 8 and Harding (11 a.m.) and East Central (1:30 p.m.) on Sunday, Feb. 9.

HIGH-PERFORMING PITCHERS… Upper Iowa opened the season in Branson, Mo. where they competed in five games. On the mound, fifth year Delaney Vetter recorded 11 strikeouts in three games, while posting a 2.25 ERA and .197 batting average against. Junior Sara Reid added nine strikeouts over two games and she recorded a 2.86 ERA and .281 batting average against.
 
HIGHLIGHTING THE HITTERS… Junior Serah Shafer started off the year on a high note as she recorded a .429 batting average. She led the Peacocks with nine hits and six runs, while scoring twice against both Emporia State and Minnesota Crookston. She added five stolen bases on six attempts, hit one triple and recorded an RBI. Junior Taylor Sedam also recorded a .429 batting average with six hits and two runs. She recording three doubles, with two coming against Emporia State and hit one RBI. Sophomore Addyson Alber hit a .412 average at the plate, while ranking second on the team with seven hits. She scored one run, posted a double in three consecutive games, and tied for a team-high with three RBIs over the course of the Branson Lead-Off Classic.
 
WASHBURN PREVIEW… The Ichabods have started the season 3-2, highlighted by a 9-0 win over Miles College. Junior Erin Boles hit a .538 batting average with seven runs on seven hits, while adding a home run against Mississippi College. Junior Sadie Walker posted a 2-1 record on the mound, while striking out 20 batters and recording a 4.12 ERA.

MISSOURI SOUTHERN PREVIEW… The Lions have posted a 5-1 record, highlighted by a four-game win streak. Junior Katie Gray recorded a .611 average at the plate with a team-high 11 hits. She scored four runs, hit two doubles, and team-highs with two homers and 11 RBIs. Sophomore Kiki Pickens went a perfect 3-0 on the mound, recording a 1.24 ERA, .169 batting average against and 13 strikeouts.
 
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE PREVIEW… The Bearcats have gone 2-3 to begin the year where they recorded consecutive wins over Missouri S&T and Henderson State. Senior Skylar Pieper recorded a .500 batting average with six hits and two runs. She added one double, four RBIs and a home run. Freshman Rien Moore started her collegiate career 1-0 as she allowed a 1.17 ERA and a .100 batting average against while striking out four batters against Missouri S&T.
 
NEWMAN PREVIEW… The Jets have recorded an 0-4 mark as they also competed at the Branson Lead-Off Classic. Senior Gianna Navarro put up a .417 batting average with a team high five hits while scoring one run. She added one double and one RBI. Senior Madi Canez added a .364 batting average with four hits, one double and one RBI.

HARDING PREVIEW… The Bison have posted a perfect 5-0 record, where they won three of their games by mercy rule. This includes a 20-0 victory over Miles College in five innings. Senior Macy Ham hit a .500 average at the plate, scoring nine runs on nine hits. She added two doubles and four RBIs. Junior Zoey Neal recorded a team-highs with .588 batting average, ten hits and nine RBIs. Freshman Avery Booker began her collegiate career with a 1-0 record as she pitched a no-hitter against Miles while striking out nine batters.
 
EAST CENTRAL PREVIEW… The Tigers started the season 3-1, and are coming off consecutive victories against Southwest Baptist and Drury. Junior Elyse LeClair posted a .467 batting average with a team-high seven hits and five runs. She added six RBIs and hit a homer against Southwest Baptist. Sophomore Amera Garner started the year 1-0, as she recorded a six-inning shutout over SBU, allowing only one hit.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS… The Peacocks will compete in their final nonconference tournament at the Lewis Flyer Dome Invitational. Upper Iowa takes on Parkside (6 p.m.) and St. Cloud State (8 p.m.) on Thursday, Feb. 20, Roosevelt (11 a.m.) and Minnesota State-Moorhead (1:30 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 21 and Bemidji State on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 9 a.m.