Nebraska-Kearney (0-0) at Fort Hays State (0-0) Tuesday, February 14. (2:00 & 4:00 pm) Live Stats

The Fort Hays State softball team will host Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday (Feb. 14) for a season-opening doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm. It will be the beginning of the 14th season of intercollegiate softball at Fort Hays State, but the first time that the Tigers have started a season with a home game. FHSU is 8-5 all-time in season openers and 6-7 in home openers.

The team will feature a new look this season following the loss of two four-year starters and a trio of other contributors off of the 2011 squad that finished 30-22. Fort Hays State finished 7th in the MIAA standings last year with an 11-11 conference record, but they put together a deep run in the conference tournament before finishing as the runner-up. Four starters return for the Tigers, who were picked 6th in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, but the roster features eight new faces. In addition, Fort Hays State has a new coach for 2012 in Erin Kinberger, who has taken over after spending the past three seasons as the assistant coach.

The Tigers roster is top heavy with eight upperclassmen, but only five of them were with the team last season and four of them were prominent starters. The most experienced player for FHSU is junior utility player Maddie Holub, who has earned All-MIAA honors in both of her years with the program. Holub hit .313 in 2011 and led the team in runs scored (34) while also ranking near the team lead in almost every offensive category. She also is a force in the pitching circle, winning 29 games and striking out 323 batters in her two years.
 
Two other returners earned All-MIAA accolades last season, led by first baseman Adriana Wortley, who has been named an All-MIAA and All-South Central Region selection each of the past two years. Last season, Wortley batted .300 and hit six home runs while batting in 26 runs. Wortley enters 2012 needing three home runs to set the career record for home runs at Fort Hays State. Danie Brinkmann was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick at shortstop last season after transferring to FHSU from Creighton but she suffered an offseason injury that will cause her to miss the season.

Taylor Nelson, Christine Moses and Callie Wright are the other returners for FHSU. Nelson made 40 starts last season, although most of those were as the designated player, and batted .273 with nine doubles and 18 RBI. Moses has game experience from the past two years, making 31 starts in her career after joining the Tigers her sophomore season. Wright saw action in 41 games in the Fort Hays State outfield last season, but will now make the transition to catcher, which was her listed position when she was recruited.

Fort Hays State will head to Wichita Falls, Texas this weekend (Feb. 17-19) for their first of three consecutive weekend tournaments. The Tigers will face Texas A&M-International, Arkansas Tech, Abilene Christian, Missouri Southern and Midwestern State at the tournament. The next home action for FHSU does not come until a doubleheader on March 10th against Washburn.