HICKORY, N.C. — Entering its first-ever season in program history, the Catawba Valley Community College softball team has released its 2020 spring schedule.

The Red Hawks play their first-ever regular-season games on Monday, Feb. 3 at home against the Belmont Abbey JV squad. All CVCC home softball games will take place at the Highland Recreation Center, located at 1451 8th St Dr NE in Hickory.

"To say we are looking forward to getting started this coming spring is an understatement," said CVCC head softball coach Josh Bumgarner. "We are anxious to see show how we stack up against the competition. We have a schedule that we feel will prepare us for the postseason — highlighted by a stretch in the middle of February where we play five-straight days."

After starting the season with back-to-back home doubleheaders against Belmont Abbey and conference foe Fayetteville Tech, the CVCC softball team plays five consecutive days from Thursday, Feb 13 to Monday, Feb. 17.

Included in that stretch are conference games in Virginia against Paul D. Camp and Bryant & Stratton and a two-day Sheilah R. Cotten Invitational hosted by Louisburg College, which includes games against not only the host Hurricanes, but also Richard Bland and Region 10 divisional opponent Pitt.

"This season we jump right into the fire," Bumgarner said. "It's either 'sink or swim' and that's how I like it."

The entire month of March features 10 CVCC softball doubleheaders — all on the road — including visits to conference divisional opponents Florence-Darlington (S.C.), Cleveland, Surry, Patrick Henry, Caldwell and Southwest Virginia.

Despite that lengthy road trip, all but one set of doubleheaders in the month of April are at home.

Catawba Valley plays home-and-home softball series against nine different schools, including Belmont Abbey, Fayetteville Tech, Southwest Virginia, Florence Darlington, Cleveland, Walters State, Surry, Patrick Henry and Caldwell.

Following the completion of the regular-season, the Red Hawks open South Atlantic District tournament play on Wednesday, May 6 in Burlington, N.C.

The District tournament continues through Saturday, May 9 with the winner advancing to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DII National tournament on Tuesday, May 19 in Clinton, Miss.

For a complete look at the inaugural CVCC softball schedule, click here.