METAIRIE, La. – Louisiana Tech will open the 2020 softball season Friday when the Lady Techsters travel to LaSalle Park to play five games in three days in the seven-team field.

Tech, the defending Conference USA champions coming off a 45-win campaign last year, face Alabama A&M at 9:30 a.m. and Montana at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. The Lady Techsters than face Houston Baptist at 9:30 a.m. and Texas Tech at noon on Saturday before concluding the weekend with a 10 a.m. Sunday match-up against Central Arkansas.

All five games can be followed through live stats by going to LouisianaTech.statbroadcast.com and clicking on the game. The password for the games is BigEasy20. There will be no audio or video stream available this weekend.

Maria Winn-Ratliff begins her tenure at Louisiana Tech, taking over the reins of the program following the departure of Mark Montgomery to Maryland. Winn-Ratliff recorded 699 career wins in 15 seasons on the junior college level at Western Nebraska and Tyler Junior College.

Tech returns six position starters from last year's squad, including all-conference selections in sophomore third baseman Lindsay Edwards, junior shortstop Bayli Simon and senior catcher Marilyn Rizzato. Edwards was voted the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year by the league coaches a few weeks ago.

In the circle, Tech returns senior Jenny Chapman and sophomore Hannah Koenig who both saw innings mostly in relief last season. Juniors Bre Hernandez and Audrey Pickett join the Tech staff and should each see a significant number of starts this season.

Ticket prices for the tournament are:

$30 All-Tournament Pass (adults)

$15 All-Tournament Pass (17 and under)

$15 Single Day Pass (adults)

$5 Single Day Pass (17 and under)
 
Day 1 (Friday, Feb. 7)
 
9:30 a.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. Alabama A&M: http://statb.us/e/300511
Montana vs. Central Arkansas: http://statb.us/e/307833
Houston Baptist vs. Texas Tech: http://statb.us/e/307834
 
12 p.m.
Alabama A&M vs. Houston Baptist: http://statb.us/e/307892
Central Arkansas vs. Jackson State: http://statb.us/e/307894
 
2:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. Montana: http://statb.us/e/300510
Texas Tech vs. Jackson State: http://statb.us/e/308254
 
Day 2 (Saturday, Feb. 8)
 
9:30 a.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. Houston Baptist: http://statb.us/e/300513
Texas Tech vs. Central Arkansas: http://statb.us/e/308255
Jackson State vs. Montana: http://statb.us/e/308266
 
12 p.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. Texas Tech: http://statb.us/e/300512
Alabama A&M vs. Montana: http://statb.us/e/308267
 
2:30 p.m.
Jackson State vs. Houston Baptist: http://statb.us/e/308268
Central Arkansas vs. Alabama A&M: http://statb.us/e/308269
 
Day 3 (Sunday, Feb. 9)
 
10 a.m.
Louisiana Tech vs. Central Arkansas: http://statb.us/e/300514
Montana vs. Texas Tech: http://statb.us/e/308270
Houston Baptist vs. Alabama A&M: http://statb.us/e/308273