DODGE CITY, Kan. -- A youthful Dodge City Community College softball team that's been hit by a slight case of the injury bug gets its season underway 1 p.m. Saturday at home against Hutchinson at Legends Park.

The Conquistadors return three players from last season's 23-22 team in shortstop Taryn Garza, right fielder Heather Amen and pitcher Mia Trujillo as DC3 has 14 new faces in 2016. Add that to a trio of injuries to starters in the preseason and coach Howie Smith said it's an opportunity for newcomers to step up and prove themselves.

"We're going to have some young kids that are going to have an opportunity right away," said Smith, who is entering his 25th year as DC3 coach. "After starting last year 16-6 and fading down the stretch, we aren't going to be as worried about playing our best softball right away during our non-conference games. We want to be playing our best in conference play."

Garza led the Conqs last season in RBI (37) and triples (four), was second in home runs (seven) and slugging percentage (.579) and finished with a .298 average. Amen hit .247 and led the team with seven stolen bases while Trujillo was 4-4 in the circle with a team-best 3.85 ERA in 17 games (eight starts).

DC3 will have another veteran player in the lineup in sophomore third baseman Candace Bollig, who is a transfer from Barton. In 2014, Bollig hit .425 for Barton with eight home runs, 37 RBI and 14 doubles in 134 at-bats (43 games).

The rest of the Conqs' batting order will look a bit different than it would've even just a few weeks ago as catcher Hailey Collins, second baseman Sierra Torrez and first baseman Katie Bender have suffered injuries that will cost them time with Torrez and Bender out for the season and Collins expected to be out until at least April.

Stepping in at catcher will likely be Kaylie Schoendaller while Kayla Frazier will see time at second base. Also figuring into the mix at catcher will be starting center fielder Baylee Rial and Whitney Miller while Taylor Menard could also see time at both positions. At first base, pitchers Lindsey Lemmon and Kim Herron will fill in when they aren't pitching.

Joining Rial and Amen in the outfield will be Marina Kelly in left field with Sabrina Romero also expected to see time in the outfield as well as at designated player.

"We aren't going to be a power hitting team or steal a lot of bases," Smith said. "We are going to be a line-drive type of team that is going to have good at-bats and not swing at bad pitches."

In the circle, Herron and Lemmon are expected to start the two games against Hutchinson while Trujillo and Hannah Feagler will also see significant time this season.

"We feel really good about all four of our pitchers," Smith said. "... This is the one position we haven't had injury trouble with - and if you're going to pick a position not to have it at, this is it. ... We don't have them No. 1 through No. 4 right now. Anytime one of them is in, that's our No. 1."

The Conqs after Saturday's opener against Hutchinson play again at home Feb. 21 against Northeastern Junior College before rounding out the month down south with doubleheaders against the Lubbock Christian University JV (Feb. 24) and Western Texas (Feb. 25) and at a tournament in El Paso (Feb. 27-28). DC3 opens KJCCC play March 2 on the road at Colby.