ROLLA, MO- The Miner softball team will kick off their 2019 season this weekend when they travel south to Arkadelphia, Ark. to take on five different competitors.
 
Last season, S&T finished .500, both in conference (14-14) and overall (27-27). They squeezed their way in to the GLVC Tournament as the 8-seed and faced Illinois Springfield in the opening round. After falling 5-1 to the Prairie Stars, the Miners fought their way back to the semi-final round where they were defeated by Indianapolis.
 
S&T comes into the 2019 season picked to finish 9^th in the GLVC; they return four of their five .300 hitters from last season including senior Gretchen Egly (Joliet, IL/Plainfield Central) who recorded a .317 batting average with 53 hits, five homeruns, and 40 RBIs. Along with Egly, the Miners bring back power hitter Olivia Young (Millstadt, IL/Belleville Township), who was ranked in multiple offensive categories in the league at the end of last season; she was 1^st in total RBIs with 58, 3^rd with 14 homeruns, and 4^th with a .659 slugging percentage.
 
Avery English (Carterville, IL/Carterville) will return for her junior season after posting a team best 18-12 record a year ago with a 2.82 ERA. She finished the season ranked 9^th in the league with 126 strikeouts, 7^th with a 3.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 5^th with just 1.35 walks allowed per game (7 innings), and 4^th with 18 wins.
 
The Miners will begin the new season at the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament hosted by Ouachita Baptist University where S&T will face-off against Northeastern State, Southwest Baptist, Christian Brothers, Southern Arkansas, and Henderson State over a three-day span.
 
Missouri S&T Schedule Ronnie Hawkins Tournament, Arkadelphia, Ark.
 
Friday, Feb. 1:
S&T vs. Northeastern State (@ Ouachita Baptist Field)…………9 a.m.
S&T vs. Southwest Baptist (@ Ouachita Baptist Field)………….11 a.m.
 
Saturday, Feb. 2:
S&T vs. Christian Brothers (@ Ouachita Baptist Field)……….….1 p.m.
S&T vs. Southern Arkansas (@ Henderson State Field)…………5 p.m.
 
Sunday, Feb. 3:
S&T vs. Henderson State (@ Henderson State Field)……………9 a.m.