Lady Cougars softball set for season opener

COLUMBUS – The 2017 season begins Saturday for the Columbus State University softball team as the Lady Cougars take part in the PBC/GSC Southern Softball Showdown. The two-day tournament will be played at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus.

CSU will open Saturday with Union University at 11 a.m. and wrap up the day with a 6:30 p.m. tilt against West Alabama. Sunday, the Lady Cougars will take on Shorter at 2 p.m. and Lee at 4:30 p.m.

“We have had a really good month of preseason practice,” head coach Brad Huskisson said. “I know the girls are ready to see another team on the other side of the field and anxious to get the season started.”

This marks the second consecutive season of the PBC/GSC Showdown. The event features eight teams with eight games across two fields each day.

Columbus State goes into the 2017 campaign without a senior on the roster, but the Lady Cougars do return seven starters in the field and three of four pitchers from last season.

Huskisson is about to kick off his eighth full season as the head coach of the Lady Cougars with 262 career wins.

Of CSU’s opponents this week, only Lee will have played any games before arriving in Columbus. The Flames swept a doubleheader from Montevallo on Wednesday.

In the GSC preseason poll, Shorter was selected seventh, while Lee, West Alabama and Union were ninth to 11th, respectively.

Admission for this weekend’s tournament is $10 per day for general admission and $5 for children under 12, military and seniors.

This story was originally published February 3, 2017 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Lady Cougars softball set for season opener."