HELENA -- A year ago, the Helena area was facing single-digit and sub-zero temperatures as well as steady snow creating less-than-ideal conditions for spring sports across Montana. Though with a temperate open to 2020, the Carroll College softball team is getting ready to host its first February home series in the program's history.
"We've been fortunate. We got out in mid-January to practice in scrimmage settings and then just been fortunate to be outside before we opened up in California," said head coach Aaron Jackson.
In 2018 and 2019, the Fighting Saints didn't host a game at Centennial Park until April, and prior to that the earliest Carroll played a Cascade Conference game at home was a 4-2 loss to the Southern Oregon Raiders on March 19, 2016, facts that are not lost on Jackson.
"To open up at home at the end of February, the first part of March is great. It's been a two-year hiatus almost. I mean, I think we've played, at most, maybe four games on our actual field," said Jackson. "It'd be nice to get two series at home to start the year."
The Fighting Saints will welcome in the Warner Pacific Knights for a doubleheader on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
