KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - For the first time since 2017 and the third time in four seasons, the Truman State University softball team will be competing in Trevecca Nazarene's Music City Invitational in Hendersonville, Tenn., just north of Nashville. The Bulldogs will open their 2019 campaign there with five games in three days from Feb. 15-17 at Drakes Creek Park.

Friday will mark the start of year No. 13 for head coach and Truman alum, Erin Brown, who owns an overall record of 316-283 (.528 winning percentage) in the previous 12 seasons. The Bulldogs will face Ursuline on Friday (11 a.m.) before Kentucky Wesleyan (2 p.m.) and Tiffin (4:15 p.m.) on Saturday. The Purple and White will then wrap up their three-day stay with Lindenwood (10:30 a.m.) and Urbana (12:30 p.m.) on Sunday.

Truman is coming off a 2018 campaign in which it finished with an overall mark of 26-20 and 15-13 in GLVC play, but failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. This preseason, the Bulldogs were picked to finish sixth in the league by its coaches with 111 points (story), their lowest ranking in the preseason poll since the conference eliminated divisions in 2015.

The Bulldogs will be led by a strong senior class that includes two-time GLVC Player of the Year, Christa Reisinger (center fielder), 2017 D2CCA Second-Team All-Region pitcher, Lauren Dale, and 2017 NFCA Second-Team All-Region performer, Morgan McMahan (first base/designated player). For the third-consecutive season, Dale will be joined on the pitching staff by Alyssa Hajuk, who experienced a breakout year in 2018. Also looking for innings in the circle along with those two will be a pair of freshmen in Rachael Kernich and Maria McGonegle.

When it comes to offense, Truman returns four of its top five batting averages from a season ago including Reisinger (.458), Alyssa Rivera at third base (.344), Brooke VunCannon at utility (.295), and McMahan (.268). Reisinger will likely start the season in the leadoff spot, Rivera and McMahan will both be middle-of-the-lineup hitters, and VunCannon is recovering from an offseason surgery. All in all, Truman heads into year No. 47 as a program with a roster of 18 that includes seven freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors, and six seniors.

Live stats for all five of this week's games will be available right HERE.

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