LAWTON, Okla. -- The Cameron University softball team gets their season underway with six games in three days Arkansas Tech Classis, which will be held at Scrapyard Spots Complex in Houston, Texas.
 
About the Aggies:
Cameron finished last season in fifth in the Lone Star Conference standings, but had a strong showing in the postseason, making it to the NCAA South Central Regional final, where they lost 3-0 to ASU. They were picked fifth in this year's LSC Preseason Poll that was released on Wednesday. The Aggies return all but one starter, including four All-LSC performers: Brenna Busby, Rylee Willmon, Callie Busby, and Bethany Hines. 
 
B. Busby hit .351 with 14 homers, 33 RBI, 22 stolen bases, and 49 runs scored last season, and C. Busby hit .310 with seven homers and a team best 37 RBI, while catching all 52 games for the Black and Gold.
 
Willmon and Hines were two of the top pitchers in the conference last season. Willmon posted a 2.62 ERA with a 17-11 record and 106 strikeouts in 178.2 innings. Hines went 14-7 in the circle with a 2.66 ERA and 129 Ks in 142 innings of work.
 
Some of the new players that will join the fold are transfer pitcher Turner Whorton, who was part of a conference and regional championship at Seminole State College, transfer utility player Jakayla Whitney, and freshmen Kacie Gilreath, Khmari Edwards, Breley Webb, Kylie French, and Erycka Pierce.
 
G1 | Minnesota Duluth | Feb. 1 at 3:30 PM
The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference preseason poll. The same place Minnesota Duluth found themselves slotted a year ago under head coach Jen Walter. The Bulldogs made their first super regionals in program history in 2018, and look to build off that success in 2019. The Bulldogs will have to replace three All-Americans including their number one pitcher. Junior Lauren Oberie, who is making the transition from third base to shortstop this offseason, will look to lead the Bulldogs offense as she was tabbed as the UMD offensive player to watch in 2019.
 
G2 | St. Edward's | Feb. 1 at 6 p.m.   
Also on Friday, the Aggies will match up with St. Edwards with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. The Hilltoppers return a pair of 2018 All-Heartland selections including Junior Infielder Karonina Rodriguez who led the team with a .340 batting average and enjoyed a .639 slugging percentage a year ago. Sophomore Kathryn Connelly was a freshmen sensation earning a second team All-Heartland nod a year ago after hitting for a .252 average and plating eight runs. The Hilltoppers finished last season with a 7-45 record overall with a 6-24 record in the Heartland conference.
 
G3 | Colorado School of Mines | Feb. 2 at 1 p.m.     
Junior Infielder Clara Larson was named the RMAC Preseason player of the year for the Orediggers who were chosen sixth in the coaches poll. Larson saw her batting average jump to ,425 in 2018, an improvement on her already stellar 2017 campaign that saw her hit for a .331 average. She slugged a career-high 15 home runs and plated 64 runs in 2018. She was not the only Oredigger honored in the preseason as Kara Jones earned a spot on the Preseason All Rocky Moutain Athletic Conference list. The Senior catcher form Colorado Springs turned in a .351-average in 51 games last year to go along with her impressive .98 fielding percentage. Colorado School of the Mines finished two games above .500 in 2018 (28-26) a step down from their 2017 campaign that saw them win 32 games. The Oredigger's and Aggies have first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday.
           
G4 | No. 20 Arkansas Tech | Feb. 2 at 8:30 p.m.
The Golden Suns are pegged to finish second in the GAC Preseason poll. Arkansas Tech is coming off a 44-19 record in which they finished second in the Great American Conference. In 2018, the Suns won the GAC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the third time in the last four season. The Suns return last years Great American Conference MVP and All American in Senior Megan Goodnight. Goodnight hit for a .341 average and turned in nine saved games as a pitcher with a 1.38 ERA. The Suns are a veteran laced team returning eight of their nine starters from last years squad including Ashton Sangster who made the first team All Great American Conference in part thanks to her stealing ability that saw her swipe 33 bags in as many attempts.
           
G5 | Pittsburg State | Feb. 3 at 2 p.m.
The Gorillas finished last year with a 22-33 record with a 12-14 finish inside the conference. The Aggies and Gorillas matched up in the Southeastern Oklahoma Invitational last year, a matchup the Aggies won 1-0. Pittsburg State returns their top hitter Kala Holder the Junior infielder from Olathe, Kan. was an all-region player a year ago and earned first-team conference honors in the MIAA. She hit for a .357 average last year on her way to clubbing 15 homers. The Gorillas also return their two starting pitchers from 2018.
 
G6 | No. 25 Augustana (S.D.) | Feb. 3 at 4:30 p.m.
The Vikings are slotted to finish second in the NSIC preseason poll, but they were able to snag four first place votes. Senior backstop Maggie Kadrlik and Sophmore pitcher Ashley Mickschl were named to the preseason players to watch list for the NSIC. The Vikings made their eighth trip in nine years to the NCAA tournament but lost in the semifinals last year, but not before the team compiled 42 wins. In the last four years, Augustana has a .710 winning percentage via their 170-71 record. Vikings head coach Gretta Melsted enters her 13th year with Augustana University.
 
On Deck:
Next weekend, the Aggies will compete in their second classic of the season, the OC/UCO Tournament, Feb. 8-10. Cameron will play Southern Nazarene, Central Oklahoma, Northeastern State, Southeastern Oklahoma, and Rogers State.