PITTSBURG – The Pittsburg State University softball team will open the 2019 season this weekend (Feb. 1-3) at the Arkansas Tech University Winter Invitational at the Scrap Yard Sports Complex in Conroe, Texas.

Pitt State makes its season debut Friday (Feb. 1) at 1 p.m. against Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Gorillas then face Southeastern Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. on opening day.
 
On Saturday, Pitt State will take on Texas Woman's University at 10:30 a.m. and Tarleton State at 6 p.m. The Gorillas will close out the three-day tournament Sunday (Feb. 3) with a 9 a.m. game against Texas A&M-International and a 2 p.m. match-up against Cameron.
 
The Gorillas return six position starters from a 2018 squad that posted a 22-33 overall record and a 12-14 MIAA record. The Gorillas finished ninth in the conference standings ­– two games out of qualifying for the MIAA Tournament.

The Gorillas return a two-time first-team All-MIAA performer in junior infielder Kala Holder. Holder hit .357 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs and 38 RBIs last year. She was the 2017 MIAA Freshman of the Year and an NCAA Division II All-America selection her freshman season.
 
The Gorillas are under the direction of second-year head coach Ashley Balazs. Balazs has a 22-33 record leading the program.