Update (Friday, Jan. 31 - 6:45 PM): The start time for the Columbus State-Lenoir-Rhyne doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 1 has been pushed back. The first game will now begin at 2:30 p.m. instead of the originally scheduled 1 p.m. start time.
COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University softball team begins the 2020 season this weekend with two road doubleheaders.
On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Cougars will play their season opener against Lenoir-Rhyne before traveling to Salisbury, N.C. to square off against Catawba on Sunday, Feb. 2. Saturdays' doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m. while Sunday's action starts at 1 p.m. Live coverage for all four games is available at CSUCougars.com.
Game Information
Saturday, Feb. 1 | 2:30 & 4:30 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Columbus State vs. Lenoir-Rhyne @ Hickory, N.C.
All-time Series Record: LR 9-8
Last Meeting: 2/20/16 in Hickory (LR 7-6)
Sunday, Feb. 2 | 1 & 3 p.m. | Live Stats
Columbus State vs. Catawba @ Salisbury, N.C.
All-time Series Record: CSU leads 8-2
Last Meeting: 3/5/17 in Columbus (CSU 2-0)
|
Columbus State enters 2020 coming off its best Peach Belt Conference regular season finish since 2007. CSU went 35-16, including going 15-5 in PBC play, to finish in second place in the league standings. The 35 wins were the most by a Cougar team since 2013.
Brad Huskisson returns for his 12
th full season as the man in charge of the program and his 15
th overall at Columbus State. Huskisson has led the Cougars to four PBC Tournament championships, including winning back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
The Cougars return plenty of experience in 2020 as seven players come back who started 30 or more games a season ago. Preseason All-PBC selection
Morgan Elston (.359, 10 2Bs, .933 OPS) and reigning PBC Freshman of the Year
Hannah Rose Corbin (.318, 8 HRs, 1.100 OPS, 52 BBs) headline the everyday returnees. Corbin is also a standout in the circle going 10-6 with a 2.04 ERA in 106.1 innings of work in 2019.
Elyse Ambrose (.891 OPS, 7 HRs, 36 RBIs),
Kirstin Reynolds (.840 OPS, 7 HRs, 34 RBIs),
Chandler DesRochers (45 GS, 17 runs, 5 SBs),
Paris Poston (14 extra-base hits, 22 runs, 22 RBIs), and
Madeline Parker (50 GS, 4 HRs, 27 RBIs) are all everyday returners from 2019.
Besides Corbin,
Harley Dawson is the only returning pitcher on the roster. Dawson appeared in 10 games last season tallying 25 strikeouts in 25.1 innings of work.
Maddie Dodson,
Mary Horne,
JoJo Beyer, and
Madisyn Brown all return for Huskisson. Ten newcomers round out the roster.
Columbus State was selected to finish third in the PBC according to a poll by the league's head coaches.
About Lenoir-Rhyne
Lenior-Rhyne is a South Atlantic Conference power posting its 20
th consecutive winning season in 2019. The Bears went 26-19 and are tabbed to finish fourth in the SAC this year.
Shortstop Talon LaClair (.414, 44 RBIs), catcher Kylee Leonhardt (.338, 8 HRs, 33 RBIs), and outfielder Savannah Moorefield (.381, 7 HRs, 13 SBs) were all preseason All-SAC selections. Emily Kenley (21 APP, 86.2 IP, 3.96 ERA) is the lone returning arm that threw over 30 innings.
About Catawba
Another South Atlantic Conference member, Catawba will be looking to improve upon a 22-21 record from a season ago. It was the second straight winning season for the Indians after struggling in years prior.
Head coach Mandy Harris-Morgan returns all but three players from 2019, including Jordan Dean. Dean led the team last season with a .366 average, 14 doubles, nine home runs, and 36 RBIs. Preston Ellenberg was 6-5 in the circle in 2019 striking out 81 hitters in 96.1 innings of work.
Cougar Notes
• It's the second straight season that Columbus State is opening the season on the road. Before 2019, CSU had begun the year at home in seven of the previous eight seasons.
• Under Huskisson, the Cougars are 7-6 in season openers. On the road, CSU has posted a 2-2 mark.
• In 2019, Columbus State was 20-10 against nonconference opponents.
• Columbus State has posted four straight winning seasons and 27 in the past 30 years.
• As a program, CSU enters 2020 with a 1,101-582-2 record. The program was started in 1986.
• The Cougars have reached 12 NCAA Regionals with the last appearance coming in 2013. CSU played in its lone NCAA Division II College World Series in 2007 after going 58-5.
• At the conference level, Columbus State has won five PBC Tournament titles and four PBC regular season championships.
