ROLLA, MO- The Miner softball team will finally see their home opener this week as they host Washburn University on Thursday for a doubleheader match-up and begin conference play on Sunday when the Panthers of Drury University come to town.

S&T is coming off a DH split with Kentucky Wesleyan that broke a seven game losing streak. Avery English (Carterville, IL/Carterville) got her first start of the season and did not disappoint as she pitched a complete 7.0 innings with three strikeouts and no batters walked. She comes into Thursday's games with a 1.95 ERA while her opponents are batting just .278 off of her.

The Miners came out hot in game one of the Sunday doubleheader; Olivia Young (Millstadt, IL/Belleville Township) started a domino effect in the 6^th inning when she doubled to right-center field to being Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) across home plate. Jacey Allen (Roanoke, TX/Byron Nelson) and Keely Morgan (Laguna Hills, CA/Laguna Hills) would follow suit with double to send Marcy McCalla (Staunton, IL/Staunton), Young, and Allen around the bases to take a 4-1 lead. Their 4-run 6^th inning would be enough to take the win and break their losing skid.

Courtney Jackson (Parkville, MO/Park Hill South) currently leads the team with a .375 batting average and a team leading 21 hits. Jackson along with Abby Klein (Kansas City, MO/Staley) and Olivia Young (Millstadt, IL/Belleville Township) are all batting over .300 and combine for 53 of the teams 112 hits this season.

Missouri S&T will start their weekend off on Thursday against the Ichabod's of Washburn University. WU leads the all-time series against the Miners 19-6 with the last two match-ups going in favor of Washburn. The last time the Miners got a W over the Ichabods was back in 2008 when they just squeezed by with a 6-3 win in Pittsburg, KS.

The Miners will then kick-off GLVC play on Sunday when they host the Panthers of Drury University for their conference home-opener. S&T holds a 16-12 win series over DU with four of the last five match-ups going in favor of the Miners. Last season, S&T saw a split series with the Panthers as they scored seven runs on seven hits in route to a 7-4 win. Drury would come back in game two with a 4-run 5^th inning to secure the 7-1 win.