Season Opener in St. George

PROVO -- The BYU women’s softball team heads to St. George, Utah, to open the 2009 season at the BYU/UVU Red Desert Classic beginning Thursday.

The Cougars have opened their third-straight season by hosting the tournament at The Canyons Softball Complex. Eleven teams will make the trip to St. George to begin the season.

BYU will face off against Southern Utah for the first game of a Thursday afternoon twinbill and finish off the night against Loyola Marymount.

On Friday the Cougars compete against Northern Colorado before facing their first ranked opponent, No. 15 Washington.

The team will play its second ranked opponent of the season on Saturday against No. 12 Tennessee before completing the doubleheader against San Jose State.

With 12 players returning to the team the Cougars are anchored by sophomore pitcher Paige Affleck who led BYU with a 1.42 ERA in 2008. Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year Kristin Delahoussaye will return to BYU’s young infield. Delahoussaye finished 2008 batting .363 with a .505 on-base percentage.

In 2008 the Cougars finished the season 44-20 competing in the fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament.

All games will be available via live stats at byucougars.com