SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana softball team remains at Bowden Field on Thursday as it hosts Upper Iowa with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. With the contest being site-reversal, Augustana will be the visitors on the scoreboard.
 
Live stats and live video will be available at GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app. The app is available in the app store and Google Play and is presented by the Original Pancake House. 
 
About the Peacocks
Upper Iowa is 14-19 on the season while sitting at 6-9 in NSIC action. The Peacocks have most recently dropped a pair of contests at Minnesota Duluth by scores of 9-0 and 10-4. Their Sunday series with St. Cloud State was canceled.
 
Laila Pelds has held steady at the plate with a .402 average throughout the season. She has totaled 21 RBI while 35 of her 51 hits have gone for singles. The RBI leader is Rae VanMilligan with 24 for the year. In the circle, Abby Buckman leads the team with a 5-4 record and 5.26 ERA.
 
About the Vikings
Augustana has won seven of its last eight games to hold a 26-11 record on the year. Within the NSIC, the Vikings are 13-3 and in second place based on win percentages. Minnesota Duluth is 15-3 on the season to hold the top spot in the standings at .833 while AU is at an .812 winning percentage.
 
The Vikings are coming off sweeps of previous NSIC-leading MSU Moorhead and Northern State, much in part to NSIC Player of the Week Abby Lien. She slashed .625/.714/1.563 for the week while hitting four home runs including a grand slam.
 
For the season, Torri Chute leads AU with a .411 average while starting all 37 games. She owns a .679 slugging percentage and has a team-best 16 doubles. The Vikings' home run leader is Kennedy Buckman and her 12 home runs while she leads the team with 37 RBI.
 
In the circle, Hailey Houston is 13-2 while Lexi Lander is 10-7. Houston has the edge in strikeouts with 72 in 95.2 innings pitched while Lander induces weak contact and has a team-leading three saves.
 
One Last Thing
Augustana ranks third in NCAA Division II with 2.05 doubles per game. They are led by the league's top three doubles hitters in Chute (16), Delaney Young (14) and Lien (13).