By Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—There may be snow on the ground in Tennessee, but that won't stop the Tennessee Tech softball team from kicking off its 2016 season. The Golden Eagles are set to open play at Mississippi State's Bulldog Classic this weekend in Starkville, Miss.
Besides host Mississippi State, Tech will face Georgia Southern, Houston, and Alabama A&M.
Georgia Southern
The GSU Eagles enter their second season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference under the direction of Annie Smith, who stands at the helm of the program for her fifth year. Georgia Southern closed out the 2015 season with a 12-39 overall record, and a 4-20-conference mark. The Eagles should have a strong roster this year, with players two-deep at each position. The Georgia Southern lineup is made up of one senior, six juniors, and a combined 11 sophomores and freshmen — including five of the team's six top offensive producers returning to the field.
In the series, Tech holds a 9-5 advantage over Georgia Southern, with the Golden Eagles most recently defeating the Eagles in a tournament on their home turf in Statesboro, 5-4.
Houston
The Cougars enter the 2016 season off a solid 2015 as a member of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). Houston boasted a 28-27 overall record, while maintaining a 10-7 conference record to finish third in the AAC. Head coach Kyla Holas returns for her 16th season to lead the Cougars and returns nine letterwinners to the roster, while losing eight.
This will be the first meeting between Tech and Houston on the diamond.
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs head into the 2016 season hot off a strong 2015 campaign. Mississippi State had a record-breaking season last year including new program records set for batting average (.312), home runs (54), RBI (294), slugging percentage (.495), and on-base percentage (.411). MSU has also made four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, for the second-time in program history, and looks to set a record with its fifth-straight this season.
Last season, the Bulldogs concluded their successful showing with a 36-21 overall record and a 10-14 Southeastern Conference (SEC) mark under the leadership of Vann Stuedeman who returns to MSU for her fifth season this spring. The Bulldogs will return 13 letterwinners to this year's roster, including six position starters and four pitchers.
MSU holds the 6-2 advantage in the series over Tech, with the last meeting between the Golden Eagles and Bulldogs happening in the 2012 season when MSU defeated Tech in a doubleheader, 6-2 and 5-1.
Alabama A&M
The Lady Bulldogs enter the 2016 season after compiling an 18-25 (7-9 SWAC) record in their 2015 showing. Alabama A&M returns most of their offensive production from last season, including junior outfield Eriel Lawson who led the Lady Bulldogs in batting average (.398) and steals (11) last season.
Head coach Nakeya Harris returns to the Alabama A&M program for her third season. The Golden Eagles lead the series over the Lady Bulldogs, 7-0, Tech last seeing victory in the 2007 season when the Golden Eagles won both ends of a doubleheader, 14-1 and 13-0.
Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles kick off their 2016 season having been selected to win the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference crown as voted on by the league's head softball coaches and sports information directors.
Tennessee Tech posted a 33-28 overall mark while going 15-11 in the OVC to finish fourth overall last season. The Golden Eagles earned the No. 4 seed in the Conference Tournament and went on to win their seventh tournament crown. Bonnie Bynum enters her fourth season at the helm of her alma mater and will have junior pitcher Danielle Liberatore back in the circle this year after she was named to the All-OVC second team and the Tournament MVP last year. Liberatore ranked second in the OVC in earned run average (2.30), strikeouts (283) and shutouts (6). Senior infielder Sabrie Neeb and sophomore catcher Bayli Cruse will also be back this year after earning OVC All-Newcomer honors last season. Neeb is the team's top returning hitter after compiling a .325 batting average with 39 hits, eight home runs and 20 runs batted in. Cruse hit .280 with 46 hits, five home runs and 24 RBI.
The Golden Eagles will christen the 2016 season against Georgia Southern on Friday at 10 a.m., followed by a 3 p.m. game against Houston. On Saturday, Tech will face off against Georgia Southern in a 9 a.m. contest, followed by a matinee game against host Mississippi State at 2 p.m. The Golden Eagles will then round out their first tournament on Sunday against Alabama A&M in a 1:30 p.m. matchup.
You can follow the Golden Eagles online on Facebook and on Twitter at @TTU_Softball and @TTUGolden Eagles.
