UPDATE (2/5/2011):  The games have been moved up 1 hour to start at noon and 2 p.m. Article below has been altered to reflect those changes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- Even with the cold temperatures outside, the Bellarmine University softball team is set to start their 2011 season on Sunday as they host Carson-Newman for a pair of games at Knights Field.

Coach Renee Hicks returns to the dugout for her eighth season at the helm of the Knights. She will look to mix her returning veterans with a crop of talented newcomers as she welcomes in eight freshmen to the team as well as sophomore Madi Ratliff, a transfer from Murray State.

The Knights return their top three hitters from last season's squad in Lauren Summe, Megan Murdoch, and Jordan Basham who should help put plenty of runs on the board this season. The trio combined for 110 RBI's a year ago, accounting for 61.1% of the team's total.

Hicks expects for big things from her team this year as they look to make noise in the GLVC. Bellarmine was picked to tie for 9th place in the conference after finishing with a 22-32, 12-16 GLVC record last season.

Hicks and company will get to a chance to prove themselves this weekend against an Eagles team that is expected to compete for a championship in the South Atlantic Conference. Carson-Newman is coming off a successful 2010 season that ended in the Sub-regional round of the NCAA tournament.

The Eagles are led by junior Mary Shealy, a first team All-SAC selection from a year ago who could play in the infield or pitch.

The first game of the doubleheader between the Knights and Eagles is slated for a noon first pitch, with the second game starting at approximately 2 p.m.