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LA GRANDE, Ore. -- The Eastern Oregon University softball team begins play Feb. 10 in Redding, Calif., and its season prospectus is now available. A season preview will be released Feb. 7.

2012 NOTES
Eastern Oregon University softball welcomes nine new Mountaineers to the 2012 roster. Head coach Aaron Jackson feels he accomplished his recruiting goals with the new class. Jackson's second season is filled with several home dates, 11 doubleheaders over March and April. The 2012 slate will be a challenge with Cascade Conference play, which includes defending national champion and preseason favorite Oregon Tech, and a road trip to California to start the year at the Simpson University tournament.

SEASON OUTLOOK FROM COACH JACKSON
This season we have a strong group of returners and with the addition of some very talented newcomers I expect a great improvement from a year ago. With every transition it takes time to rebuild and I think that we have rebuilt rather quickly. With the addition of four new pitchers,  two freshmen and two transfers, we will have a solid staff entering this season. We have also filled in some holes throughout the lineup to give us a solid one to nine. I look at this season as the start of our rise back to the top of the Cascade Conference and back to national prominence.

KEY RETURNERS
Emily Anderson
Ashli Hughes
Sarah Jackson

KEY LOSSES
Wai Buchanan

KEY NEWCOMERS
Kayla Anderson
Alex Hillimick
Lacey Price
Cassie Wendt

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Admission prices have changed for EOU softball games at Peggy Anderson. All games are now free admission to fans. No pets of any kind are allowed on EOU Athletic Fields. Live stats will be available from all home softball games on EOUSports.com by clicking “Live Stats”.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE ROSTER
Eastern Oregon returns eight players from last year's squad which went 8-32 overall and 2-22 in conference play. Returners include: seniors Emily Anderson, Suzie Espinoza and Ashli Hughes. The returning sophomores are Britnee Carman-Rice, Sarah Jackson, Georgianna Kelly, Stephanie Maestretti and Mariebeth Watanabe. EOU has nine newcomers, adding three transfers and six prep standouts. Transfers include: Kayla Anderson (Mt. Hood CC), Alex Hillmick (Pendleton, Ore.) and Lacey Price (Treasure Valley CC). The freshmen on this year's roster are Abby Barr (Salem, Ore.), Sydney Carpenter (Helena, Mont.), Hanna Findlay (Hermiston, Ore.), Tarah Land (Centralia, Wash.), Alisha Meade (Spokane, Wash.) and Cassie Wendt (Spokane, Wash.).

2011 HIGHLIGHTS AND OTHER NOTES
* Eastern Oregon's eight triples last season led the Cascade Conference.
* Emily Anderson was third in the conference in total doubles with nine.
* Three Mountaineers led the CCC in total triples with two each.
* Six of Eastern's eight wins this season have come on a Sunday.
* Eastern Oregon lost all seven games when the opponent had at least one home run.