UPCOMING GAMES
The Fort Lewis College softball team will open their season this Friday and Saturday in Canyon, Texas at the West Texas A&M Invitational.  The Skyhawks were originally slated to play five games over three days, but due to inclement weather expected to hit the area on Sunday, the Skyhawks will now play three games on Friday and two on Saturday.
 
FLC's first game of the season will be against No. 4 West Texas A&M on Friday at 11 a.m., followed by Fort Hays State University.  The third and final game of the day for the Skyhawks will be against Missouri Southern State at 5 p.m.
 
On Saturday, the Skyhawks will play back-to-back games beginning at 11 a.m. with Cameron University and closing with Washburn.
 
West Texas A&M Invitational Headquarters: http://www.gobuffsgo.com/sports/2017/2/7/2017-wt-invitational.aspx
 
NOTES
The Skyhawks are under the director of second year head coach Elle Fracker.  Fort Lewis finished the 2016 season with a 15-32 overall record and a 12-22 conference mark, placing them 11^th in the final regular season conference standings.
 
FLC received 28 points in the 2017 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, landing them in 10^th place in the standings. Senior Tehenia Telliano was voted to the 2017 Preseason All-RMAC Team as a Utility Player. 
 
A native of Reno, Nevada (North Valleys High School), Telliano started 16 of the 28 games she appeared in last season.  She finished her junior campaign with a .396 batting average after connecting on 21-of-53 at the plate.  She added 11 runs batted in, eight runs scored, one double and one home run.
 
The Skyhawks return six starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's squad, while welcoming 12 freshmen to the program.
 
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The Skyhawks season opening game will be against host school and fourth-ranked West Texas A&M.  The Buffs are the preseason favorite in the Lonestar Conference after finishing last season in the NCAA National Championship Tournament with a 59-5 record.  West Texas also boasts the LSC Preseason Player of the Year – Ashley Hardin, and the LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year – Kilee Halbert.  WT enters the weekend with a 5-0 record after competing in the Desert Stinger Invitational.
 
The West Texas A&M Invitational will also marked the first games of the season for Fort Hays State University.  The Tigers finished last season with a 21-30 record and were picked ninth in the MIAA Preseason Poll.
 
After winning their season opening game against Southwestern Okla. State, Missouri Southern State University has dropped their last five games.  The Lions enter the weekend with a 1-5 record.
 
Cameron University, picked fifth in the LSC preseason poll, is off to a 5-3 start this season and have won three of their last four games.  Callie Busby leads the offense with a .500 batting average (11-of-22) while Bethany Hines owns a 3-2 record in the circle with a 3.20 earned run average.
 
Selected 11^th in the MIAA Preseason Poll, Washburn is 0-6 this season and have been outscored 45-19.
 
UP NEXT
FLC will travel to Tucson, Ariz. Feb. 17-19 for five games against Dixie State University, Academy of Art (two games), Lincoln Memorial University and Lubbock Christian University.