HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (MARSHALL SID) – The Marshall University softball team will unveil the new Dot Hicks Field when it plays host to nationally-ranked C-USA rival Houston, Saturday at 1 p.m.

Pregame ceremonies will take place 15 minutes prior to the first pitch and will include the honoring of seven donors whose generous contributions toward the naming of offices and rooms in the clubhouse has made this project a reality. Dr. Dorothy Hicks, Bart and Doris Andrews, Dr. Jose and Amy Ricard, John and Donna Underwood, Steve Williams in honor of his mother Clare Taylor Williams, Leonard Scott and Access PR will be presented with an autographed softball signed by the team.

The inaugural first pitches will be thrown by Marshall President Dr. Stephen J. Kopp, Judy Ketchum and Dr. Dorothy Hicks. Judy Ketchum is the wife of a past chair of the Marshall University Board of Governors, Menis Ketchum, who is unable to attend the opening day events due to a prior commitment. Dr. Dorothy Hicks, for whom the field is name after, has been an instrumental figure in women’s athletics at Marshall. Each of the three will receive an honorary MU softball jersey.

The state-of-the-art facility features a seating capacity of 325, which includes three rows of prime chair back seats located directly behind home plate. The chair back seats require a donation of $100 per year with a 10 year commitment. The rest of the grandstand allows for general admission seating.

The more than $2.5 million softball complex includes concessions, rest rooms, press box, warm-up areas, batting cages and a field turf playing surface. Construction of the new clubhouse is underway and will completed at the end of the season.

The first 200 fans at the game will receive a commemorative glass.

The Herd also welcomes three former baseball players Maybelle Blair, Terry Donahue and Jane Moffet, who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The league existed from 1943-54 and the three female pioneers will lead the fans during the fifth inning stretch with a singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Marshall enters Saturday’s contest against the 13th ranked Cougars with a record of 10-12 and is 2-0 in Conference USA. The Herd picked up its first C-USA road doubleheader sweep in school history last weekend against the Memphis Tigers. Houston travels to Marshall for its conference opener and holds an overall record of 22-3.

Rachel Folden started the series and the game with a solo home run over right field to set the pace for Marshall. The Herd was leading 4-2 before breaking the game open with a nine-run sixth inning to mercy rule the Tigers.

During game two, Marshall scored in the first six innings to cruise to an 8-3 victory. The Herd fell twice to non-conference foe, Louisville, Wednesday’s doubleheader. The Cardinals downed the Herd, 6-2 in game one and blanked Marshall, 7-0 in the final game of the doubleheader.

The Herd is led by senior All-American catcher Folden and her .478 batting average. Senior Deanna Tourville is the team’s RBI leader with 22 and holds a team-high five home runs.

The Houston Cougar enters the three-game series after posting a 1-0 victory over No. 21 Fresno State, which marks the fourth time the Cougars have defeated a ranked opponent.

The Cougars are led by Laurie Wagner who is hitting .426 with three home runs and a team-high eight doubles. Jessica Valis, the C-USA preseason Player of the Year, is batting .372 with two triples. Elaina Nordstrom has driven in the most runs with 27 and is Houston’s home run leader with eight.

In the pitching circle for Houston, preseason Pitcher of the Year Angel Shamblin has a 0.48 ERA with a 12-1 record in 13 appearances. She’s pitched 88 innings with 105 strike outs.

Live streaming will be available for the three-game series and all pregame ceremonies will be available if an All-Access is purchased. Free GameTracker will also be provided for all three games.