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LIVINGSTON, Ala. —The
University of West Alabama softball team will usher in
the 2008 campaign on Friday, Feb. 8, hosting the UWA
Invitational at the UWA Softball Complex. The two-day
event will have three games per day on Friday and
Saturday.
The Tigers will open with Gulf South
Conference foe Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m. on Friday.
The Tigers of OBU will open the three-team tournament
against North Georgia College & State at 1 p.m. NGCSU,
preseason ranked No. 16 in the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association’s Preseason Poll, and UWA will close
out the opening day with a 5 p.m. contest. The Saints of NGCSU finished last season with a 36-19 record and was
picked to finish second in the Peach Belt Conference
this season.
This weekend will also mark the debut
of first-year UWA head coach Will Atkinson. For the
first time in 19 years, a new head coach will be in the
third base coaching box. Former Tiger softball coach
Janet Montgomery assumed Assistant Athletic Director
duties last fall and Atkinson was promoted from
assistant to the top spot. Paige Jones enters her first
season as assistant coach after serving in the capacity
of graduate assistant coach a year ago. The Tigers
return ten players off of last year’s squad and welcome
seven newcomers to the program. UWA pitcher Emily
White
was tabbed to the 2008 Preseason All-Gulf South
Conference team announced earlier this year.
GSC foe OBU is coming off a 28-25
campaign in 2007 and returns three starters, including
All-Gulf South Conference Haley Chambers. UWA and OBU
will square off four times throughout the season,
including the final game of the weekend and a pair of
games in the GSC Crossover in Decatur, Ala.
Following this weekend’s activity,
the Tigers host Miles College on Tuesday, Feb. 12.
First pith of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
2008 UWA Invitational Schedule
Friday, Feb. 8
1 p.m. North
Georgia College & State vs. Ouachita Baptist
3 p.m. West
Alabama vs. Ouachita Baptist
5 p.m. West
Alabama vs. North Georgia College & State
Saturday, Feb. 9
10 a.m. Ouachita
Baptist vs. North Georgia College & State
Noon West
Alabama vs. North Georgia College & State
2 p.m. West
Alabama vs. Ouachita Baptist |
