CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State softball is set to start the 2025 season with a five-game road trip to Lubbock, Texas to take part in the Lubbock Sports College Invitational this weekend.

The Eagles' first pitch will come Friday, when CSC battles RMAC opponent Adams State in a nonconference game at 10 a.m. before facing hosts Lubbock Christian at noon. On Saturday, Chadron State will face Lone Star Conference newcomers Sul Ross State at 9 a.m. and Texas-Permian Basin at 5 p.m. before a second matchup against Lubbock Christian to close things out on Sunday at 11 a.m. (all times MT).

Games can be streamed with a FloCollege subscription or followed along via live stats. 

Looking Back
Chadron State softball finished 12-38 last season with a 12-28 record in the RMAC. The Eagles played the first 10 games of their season in Florida before starting RMAC play with a series split against Colorado School of Mines. A highlight of last season's schedule was a four-game road sweep at Adams State from April 20-21. 

Chadron State had a solid team ERA of 5.59 to rank eighth of 12 RMAC teams in that category, but hit just .274 to tie for ninth in the league.

The Eagles were picked 10^th out of 12 RMAC teams in the recent Preseason RMAC Coaches Poll. 

Player To Watch
Returning third baseman Lauren Zimmerman was honored by the RMAC as a preseason Player to Watch. 

A Second Team All-RMAC selection in each of the past two seasons, Zimmerman is CSC's top returning player after batting .363 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI while playing and starting all 50 games for Chadron State.

Other Returners
Grad student utility player Ashland Baca returns after batting .344 with a .972 fielding percentage. Baca and Zimmermann are the only two returners out of four CSC players last season to start all 50 games for the Eagles. One, Jessie Henchenski, is now on the coaching staff.

Junior outfielder J'Lyssa Martinez and junior infielder Angelina Quezada each started more than 40 games for the Eagles last season and should bring experience to that group. Infielder Jazlyn Arvizo hit .292 in 38 games and 96 at-bats. 

In the Circle
The Eagles return two of their three innings leaders from last season. Senior Kenzi Garner made 29 appearances and 18 starts totaling 111.2 innings and led the team with a 4.64 ERA.

Tori Haug also returns after putting up a 5.18 ERA in 97.1 innings last season. Haug led the staff with 11 complete games out of her 16 starts. She made 18 total appearances.

Help could be on the way, as two of CSC's three freshman additions are pitchers in Belle Akins of Elkhorn, Nebraska and Destrie Greiman of Wellington, Colorado.

Scouting the Opposition
While Chadron State is beginning its season this weekend, many of the teams that the Eagles will be playing in Lubbock were already in action last week. 

Adams State is 1-4 after opening with a classic in Los Lunas, New Mexico. The Grizzlies beat Sul Ross State, another CSC opponent this week, but lost twice to Western New Mexico and once to Eastern New Mexico while suffering a 33-0 loss to West Texas A&M. The Grizzlies were picked 12^th in the RMAC preseason poll. 

Sul Ross State, a school in Alpine, Texas, is in its first season as a member of the Lone Star Conference as they transition to Division II from Division III. The Lobos are also 1-4 with losses to UCCS, Simon Fraser and Adams State. Sul Ross played New Mexico Highlands twice and split the meetings, losing 10-8 and winning 7-4. The Lobos were picked 16^th in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll.

Texas Permian Basin is 4-0 after sweeping a four-game series against Schreiner University, a Division III opponent. The Falcons were picked 15^th in the Lone Star poll. 

The best team "on paper" at the tournament are the hosts, Lubbock Christian, who were picked fifth in the Lone Star Conference poll. The Chaps finished 26-22 last season and were 15-6 in their home ballpark. This year, they are 4-1 after a trip to Alabama that saw them defeat Nova Southeastern, a team receiving votes in the Top 25 poll, as well as Union, Valdosta State and Spring Hill College. Their one loss is to Florida Tech.