HAMPTON, Va. – After having its season-opening games cancelled because of a snowstorm this past weekend, the Hampton University softball team will officially open the 2010 season on Saturday against Christopher Newport, before taking on Canisius on Sunday.

Hampton was scheduled to open the season this past weekend in the Tiny L. Laster FastPitch Tournament in Conyers, Ga., but snow forced the cancellation of all four games.

Both days' action will take place at Lady Pirates Field, located behind Armstrong Stadium and the HU Convocation Center on the campus of Hampton University. Saturday's doubleheader with CNU will start at 1 p.m., while Sunday's action against Canisius will start at 11 a.m.

Saturday will be Educator Appreciation Day, and all educators in attendance can buy a hot dog for 75 cents. Between games, there will be a game called Base Scramble, where contestants will run the bases, unscrambling the word located at each base. Once they reach home plate, the contestants will have to use the words they unscrambled to form a sentence. Winners will receive a $25 gift card.

Sunday will be Student-Athlete Appreciation Day, and any Hampton student-athlete wearing HU paraphanalia will be able to buy a hot dog for 75 cents. Between games, contestants can play Calling All Ballers. In this game, contestants will have 45 seconds to shoot as many softballs into a trash can as possible. The winner will receive an HU hat.

The Captains have not started their season yet and have been picked to win the USA South conference title, like they did last season en route to earning an NCAA Division III Tournament berth. Canisius is 0-5 heading into Saturday's doubleheader at Norfolk State, which will precede Sunday's doubleheader with the Lady Pirates.

CNU beat Hampton in both of their meetings last season, taking 7-5 and 9-1 wins on Feb. 19, 2009. The Lady Pirates did not face Canisius last season.

The Lady Pirates went 26-23 last season, finishing tied for second with Delaware State in the MEAC Northern Division with an 8-6 mark. Kelsei Saunders (Suffolk, Va.) and Evelyn Garcia (Poquoson, Va.) were named First Team All-MEAC, and the Lady Pirates won three of five games in the MEAC Championships before falling 8-0 to eventual champion Florida A&M.

For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.