TOLEDO, Ohio - The University of Toledo softball team opens its 2020 regular season in San Antonio, Texas for a three-day tournament hosted by Incarnate Word this weekend. The Rockets are scheduled to play five games over the three-day tournament, beginning with a 10:00 a.m. game against Creighton on Friday, Feb. 7. 

H.E.B. Classic (San Antonio, Texas)
Friday, Feb. 7
vs. Creighton at 10:00 a.m. CT | Live Stats
vs. Texas Southern at Noon CT | Live Stats

Saturday, Feb. 8
vs. Creighton at 10:00 a.m. CT | Live Stats
at Incarnate Word at 4:00 p.m. CT | Live Stats

Sunday, Feb. 9
vs. North Dakota at 8:30 a.m. CT | Live Stats

FOLLOW ALONG
Rocket softball fans can follow all the season's action on the Toledo Softball official Twitter page @ToledoSoftball, Instagram page @toledosoftball and on utrockets.com. 

ABOUT TOLEDO
It's all eyes on the Rockets as they enter the 2020 season ready to defend their 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament title. Going into the tournament as the No. 7 seed, the Rockets went 6-1 over the four-day affair, becoming the lowest seed in MAC history to win the crown. Junior Erin Hunt returns to the roster after being named the 2019 MAC Tournament MVP, throwing 37.0 innings with a 2.19 ERA during the four-day tournament. A standout for the Rockets since transferring to Toledo from Division II Hillsdale last season, she began her Rocket career with a program record 14 strikeouts in her first Division I start against Saint Louis. The Dansville, Mich. native finished the season with 187.1 innings pitched, a 2.58 ERA, 196 strikeouts and 17 wins. Also returning for the Rockets are seniors Morgan Paaverud and Samantha Golden.  Paaverud's slash line read .240/.390/.296 last season and her four home runs are the most among returning players. Golden tallied three home runs and 16 RBIs. Overall, the Rockets are welcoming back three seniors, five juniors, and four sophomores. Ten new faces join the roster this season, as the team welcomes two transfers and eight freshmen to the Glass City.

SCOUTING CREIGHTON
Creighton was picked to finish fourth in the 2020 BIG EAST softball preseason coaches' poll. The Bluejays finished the 2019 season with an 8-13 league record to place sixth (20-24 overall). Creighton returns 14 letterwinners, including seven position players who started more than half of the team's BIG EAST schedule and two All-BIG EAST performers: senior Ashley Cantu and sophomore Kiara Mills. Cantu finished the 2019 season hitting .401 in 142 at-bats with 15 RBIs, while Mills hit .357 in 112 at-bats with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs. The Bluejays return just one pitcher who logged more than 30 innings during conference action last season.

SCOUTING TEXAS SOUTHERN
Texas Southern was picked to win the SWAC West, while six players earned Preseason All-SWAC Honors this year. Led by head coach Worley Barker, the Tigers have won 10 straight divisional championships and three SWAC Tournament titles in the past seven years. Outfielder Zariah Robbins led TSU with a .354 batting average while compiling 23 hits and 12 runs last season. Second baseman Ebony Wiltz hit .295 with 26 hits and 13 runs, while first baseman Lauryn Banks finished with 26 hits and 20 RBIs. Pitcher Naomi Reyes finished the 2019 season with a 2.22 ERA and 101 strikeouts.

SCOUTING INCARNATE WORD
Incarnate Word went 8-40 last season, securing four wins in the Southland Conference. Pitchers Renee Hoffman and Brett Coleman were credited with four wins apiece. Hoffman finished the 2019 season with a 5.06 ERA, throwing 131.1 innings. The Clinton, Mich. native also hit .239 in 71 at-bats with one home run and three RBIs. Coleman finished last season with a 5.65 ERA, throwing 117.2 innings. 

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota was selected to finish fourth in the Summit League annual preseason poll. UND, aiming for its fourth-straight 20-win season, saw pitcher Jannay Jones and infielder Jailene Carpio named to the Summit League's Players to Watch list entering 2020. Jones made 32 appearances last season, owning a team-best 3.74 ERA and recorded three saves. She threw 14 complete games over 146.2 innings, striking out 98. Carpio was named the 2019 All-Summit League second team after hitting a team-high .350 and a registering a .438 on-base percentage. She started all 37 games for the Fighting Hawks, recording one home run, 17 RBIs and 16 walks. 

ON DECK
The Rockets will hit the road for their second tournament of the 2020 season, traveling to Virginia on Feb. 21-23 for the Pirate Classic hosted by Norfolk State and Hampton University.