LIVE STATS

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama softball team opens the 2011 season this weekend as the Tigers take part in the Columbus State hosted Hughston Sports Clinic Classic. UWA opens on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8 a.m. CST against Miles College. The Tigers follow with a 10 a.m. game against CSU.

UWA faces North Georgia and CSU on Sunday with a 2 p.m. outing against the Saints before closing out the classic against the host Cougars at 4 p.m.

Live stats will be available for the two contests against Columbus State and the game vs. North Georgia.

The Tigers – who finished the season with a 38-23 overall record last season, including a 10-15 mark in the Gulf South Conference - placed three players on the 2011 Preseason All-GSC Team as the squad was tabbed fourth in the East Division by the GSC East Division head coaches.

Kelli Hartley – a 2010 first team All-GSC selection – leads off the Tigers chosen for the preseason all-conference team. The Northport, Ala. native started 59 games for UWA a season ago and became the first Tiger since 2002 to be named to the All-GSC Team three consecutive seasons. The senior shortstop batted .299 while knocking in five home runs, 41 RBI and scored 35 runs.

Valisha Fincher played in 25 games with 23 starts in 2010. The Tarrant, Ala. product batted .356 in an injury shortened season with six homeruns, 24 RBI and scored 26 runs. The senior outfielder was named to the 2009 GSC East Division first team after receiving all-conference second team laurels her freshman season.

Jessica Powell rounds out the Tiger trio with her first all-conference accolade. The Orangevale, Calif. native started in 57 games for the Red and White last season while tallying a .278 batting average. The senior outfielder hit three home runs during her junior campaign while recording 39 RBI and 46 runs scored.

Head Coach Will Atkinson welcomes three newcomers who were named to the conference's top newcomers list.

Taylor Beck – a freshman catcher from Mesa, Ariz. - played at Red Mountain High School where she helped the Mountain Lions to the Arizona 5A State crown and a national ranking of #11 in the ESPN Rise Fab 50 her senior season.

Madison Fuller – a junior first basemen from Northport, Ala. - played two seasons at Shelton State Community College where she finished as the program's all-time homerun leader. Fuller was named first team ACCC All-Central, NJCAA All-Region XXII and NFCA All-South Region second team her sophomore season. She also received second team ACCC All-Central Division her freshman year.

Kristen Skinner – a junior pitcher from Toxey, Ala. - played two seasons at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville where she helped the Lady Lions to Alabama Community College Conference titles. While at Wallace State, she tossed nine shutouts with a no-hitter in 2010 and tossed 11 shutouts in 2009. She was named first team ACCC All-Region both seasons and National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region in 2010. Skinner helped Wallace State Hanceville to NJCAA National Runner-Up finishes in 2009 and 2010.