Softball Begins 2022 Campaign on Friday

Notes:

• Columbia travels to Allen, Texas to compete in the NAIA Winter Invitational begin the 2022 season.
• The Cougars will face two top-five opponents. 
• History against the opponents:
  • vs. Oklahoma City – OCU leads, 13-4.
    • The two teams have split the last four meetings
  • vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State – CC leads, 2-0
    • The Cougars won 8-0 in 2020 and 4-3 in 2005
  • vs. Science & Arts – USAO leads, 5-1
    • Columbia won the last meeting, 4-2 in 2020. 
  • vs. Bellevue – CC leads, 3-2
    • After starting the series 0-2, the Cougars have won three-straight over the Bruins. 
    • The two squads have not met since 2012, a 1-0 Cougar win. 
  • vs. McPherson – CC leads, 1-0
    • CC won the only matchup, 11-0 (2016)
• Oklahoma Panhandle State is the only opponent with games played entering the Invitational.
  • The Aggies are currently 4-0 on the season, after sweeping a four-game set against University of the Southwest (N.M.) on Feb. 6-7. 

Season Notes:

• The Cougars were picked first by the coaches in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Preseason Coaches’ Poll. 
  • Following the Cougars (70 points) in the top-five, was Central Baptist (65 points), William Woods (53 points), Missouri Baptist (52 points), Williams Baptist (44 points) (Complete Rankings)
• Columbia is ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Softball Coaches’ Top-25 Preseason Poll. (Complete Rankings)
• The Cougars have ten games against seven different opponents on the schedule against teams in the NAIA Preseason Top-25 poll.
• Columbia participates in three invitationals to start the season:
  • NAIA Winter Invitational – Allen, Texas – Feb. 11-13
  • USAO Invitational – Chickasha, Oklahoma – Feb. 18-19
  • Gulf Coast Invitational – Gulf Shores, Alabama – March 4-6
• The first home game for Columbia is on March 25 against Mid-America Nazarene. 
• The AMC portion of the schedule begins on March 27 against Lyon.