Ball State University Athletics
Softball Releases 2012 Spring Schedule
September 27, 2011 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State softball head coach Craig Nicholson unveiled the team's 2012 schedule which features non-conference tournaments at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (Orlando, Florida) and Cal Poly, as well as 22 league games and non-conference home contests versus Purdue and Indiana.
The Cardinals opens the 2012 campaign Feb. 17-19 with a tournament hosted by Troy University. Ball State returns 15 letterwinners, including five position starters and three pitchers, from last year's team which posted a 34-24 overall record and a 13-8 mark Mid-American Conference play.
"While I don't know all of our opponents for the tournaments, I think our non-conference schedule is going to be sound," said Nicholson. "We are going to be playing quality opponents throughout the pre-conference portion of our schedule."
Overall, the Cardinals will play in six pre-conference tournaments including the Frost Classic (Feb. 24-26) hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga, the ESPN Sun Classic (March 2-4) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort, the Stetson Tournament (March 9-11) hosted by Stetson University, the Miami Invitational (March 17-18) hosted by Miami (Ohio) and the Cal Poly Tournament (March 23-25) hosted by Cal Poly.
While on their spring trip to the state of Florida, the Cardinals will also play a Wednesday, March 7 double header at North Florida.
Ball State opens its 22-game MAC slate Friday, March 30, with a road doubleheader at Western Michigan. The Cardinals will then travel to Northern Illinois to close out its league-opening weekend March 31-April 1.
"The biggest date for us right now is the MAC opener at Western Michigan," added Nicholson. "WMU knocked us out of the conference tournament last year on its way to winning the title. For us, that will be the most important day of the season, and hopefully propel us forward as we start conference play."
Ball State will play its first home games of the 2012 campaign Friday, April 6 when it hosts Ohio for a league twin bill. BSU will conclude the weekend with home games versus Akron (April 7-8).
BSU's remaining Friday MAC schedule includes home doubleheaders versus Eastern Michigan (April 20) and Toledo (May 4), plus a trip to Kent State (April 27). BSU's remaining weekend series schedule includes home contests versus Central Michigan (April 21-22) and Bowling Green (May 5-6), as well as road games at Miami (April 14-15) and Buffalo (April 28-29).
In non-conference mid-week action, the Cardinals will also host Purdue (April 12) and Indiana (April 18), while traveling to Wright State (April 4).
Play in the 2012 MAC Tournament runs May 9-12 at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. The winner of the tournament will earn the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament which opens with regional action May 17.
