FAYETTE, Iowa - The Upper Iowa softball team (0-4) continues non-conference play this weekend at the Rogers State Festival, opening action Saturday against No.18 Rogers State (3-2) at 10 a.m. before facing Southwestern Oklahoma State (0-5) at 2 p.m. On Sunday, the Peacocks wrap up the weekend with a doubleheader against Southern Nazarene (Okla.) (1-3) at 10 a.m. and noon. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Peacocks went 0-4 in last week's Branson Lead-Off Classic. UIU lost, 9-1 to Arkansas Monticello in five innings, 8-7 to Newman (Kan.) in eight innings, 6-1 to Arkansas Tech and 1-0 to Northwestern Oklahoma State.

Mara Sivley made her mark in the game against Newman. In her only at-bat, the freshman hit a double that brought in two runs. She also pitched 3.2 innings and recorded three strikeouts. 

Sara Reid was solid at the mound for Upper Iowa in the loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State. The senior struck out six batters, including three in a row in the second inning. 

Elliott Pomeroy had four hits, a double, two runs and an RBI in her 12 times at bat. She also slashed .333/.385/.417. Her teammate Kaitlin Foral recorded four hits, two RBIs and a run in her 12 appearances at the plate. The catcher/infielder also slashed .333/.385/.333. 

AROUND THE GLVC
Lalia Ruiz of Maryville (Mo.) (2-2) won the first conference Player of the Week award of the season after leading her team to a 2-2 week. She was 8-for-14 (.571) from the plate and had an on-base percentage of .563 in her first four career games. The Winkelman, Arizona, native drove in 10 RBIs and scored six runs. 

Rosie Bartletti of Illinois Springfield took home the first GLVC Pitcher of the Week award after guiding her team to a win against Roosevelt (Ill.). She pitched a complete game and allowed zero runs in the first game against the Lakers. The Springfield local also struck out five batters. 

McKendree (Ill.) (3-1) and Missouri S&T (3-1) sit atop the GLVC. Missouri-St. Louis (3-2) is second, while Maryville and Rockhurst (Mo.) (2-2) are tied for third. No. 22 UIndy, William Jewell (Mo.), Quincy (Ill.), Truman State (Mo.), Southwest Baptist (Mo.) all begin their seasons this weekend. Lincoln (Mo.) starts its season on Feb. 15. 

NFCA POLL
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason rankings gave Indianapolis 64 votes and ranked them at No. 22. The first regular season poll will be released on Feb. 21 and will continue to be released every Tuesday of the season at 12 p.m. 

ABOUT THE HILLCATS - Saturday at 10 a.m. 
Rogers State went 3-2 in the Gulf Shores Invitational last weekend. The Hillcats beat Valdosta State (Ga.) (1-3), 6-2, Union (Tenn.) (0-4), 2-0, and Spring Hill (Ala.) (2-3), 8-5. However, the team fell to Montevallo (Ala.) (2-0), 5-1, and Florida Tech (3-1-1), 3-2. 

Morgan Raylin slashes a team-best .538/.600/.769. She and Baylee King are tied for a team-high seven hits. King also leads the team with four runs. Karlee Smith records a team-best five RBIs.

Pitchers Erica Ross and Kinsley are both 1-1 on the season. Harley Cullie (1-2) has played the most innings with 17. She has also recorded 22 strikeouts, allowed 11 hits and given up eight runs. The senior also pitched a shutout against Union. 

Andrea Vaughan has coached at Rogers State for 11 years. She has an overall record of 363-179-1 entering this weekend. 

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS - Saturday at 2 p.m.
Southwestern Oklahoma State went 0-5 in the South Central Regional Tournament last Friday and Saturday. The Bulldogs were beaten, 5-2, by Sul Ross State (Tex.) (2-3), 4-0 by Texas-Permian Basin (3-2) and, 9-8, by Western New Mexico (3-1). Southwestern Oklahoma lost to No. 8 West Texas A&M (6-0) twice, 8-0 and 15-1.

Riley Lusk leads the team, slashing .500/.563/.571. She also has a team-best seven hits. Skyla McPhillips has a team-high three runs. Kennedi Caine leads the Bulldogs with four RBIs. 

Alexis Taylor has pitched the most innings with 11. She has also allowed 21 runs and 15 hits. The sophomore from Frisco, Texas, leads the team with 12 strikeouts. Blaire Gentry has played 10.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and six runs. 

Cheyenne Mahy is in her first season at the helm of Southwestern. A former standout at Great American Conference foe Southeastern Oklahoma State, she earned the school's Female Athlete of the Year honors from 2021–23.

ABOUT THE CRIMSON STORM - Sunday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Southern Nazarene was 1-3 in last weekend's LoneStar Classic. The Crimson Storm beat Washburn (Kan.) (4-1), 6-5, but fell to Metropolitan State University of Denver (1-3), 4-2, Central Missouri (4-0), 5-1, and No. 24 Missouri Southern (5-0), 3-0. 

Eden Anderson slashes a team-best .500/.571/.500 in her 11 appearances at the plate. Southern Nazarene has nine players who have tallied a run. Ciena Perez, Kristen Mullendore and Kira Taber have each recorded a homerun. Mullendore leads the team in RBIs with three.

Baylee Sales (2-1) has pitched 9.1 innings, allowing six hits and five runs. Olivia Hernandez (2-1) has pitched 7.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs. Sales has thrown a team-best seven strikeouts, followed by Hernandez with two. 

Head Coach Brian Madden is in his fifth year with the Crimson Storm. He has accumulated 124 wins and 85 losses since arriving at Southern Nazarene. 

UP NEXT 
Upper Iowa plays in Des Moines on Feb. 15 against Southwest Minnesota in a doubleheader, facing off at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the American State Bank Sports Complex.