HOUSTON – The No. 20 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns softball team will open its 2019 season hosting the inaugural Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational, to be played at the Scrap Yard Sports complex in Conroe, Texas. 
 
17 Division II programs – four of whom are in the top-25 to open the 2019 season - will converge on greater Houston for a slate of games beginning on Friday, February 1. 
 
Arkansas Tech will open play against No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce at 3:30 p.m. Friday, before turning around to play the defending Central Region I champion, Minnesota Duluth at 6 p.m. Saturday at 6 p.m. the Golden Suns will square off against Central Oklahoma, who was the third-place team in the MIAA last season before an 8:30 matchup with Cameron, who won a pair of games in last year's South Central Region Championship. 
 
Tech plays a 4:30 p.m. matchup on Sunday against West Texas A&M, who also qualified for the South Central Region title before finishing play on Monday at 10 a.m. against No. 25 Augustana. 
 
Live statistics for all Arkansas Tech games will be provided. 
 
The tournament field includes:
 
#20 Arkansas Tech
#25 Augustana
Cameron
Central Oklahoma
Colorado Mines
Minnesota Duluth
Pittsburg State
Southeastern Oklahoma
St. Edward's
St. Mary's
#14 Tarleton State
#9 Texas A&M-Commerce
Texas A&M International
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Texas Woman's
Washburn
West Texas A&M