Softball Set For Tough 2019 Slate, Starting Feb. 8-10

MUNCIE, Ind. - - With six games versus NCAA regional participants and 25 contests against teams in the top half of last season's RPI rankings, the Ball State softball team will be tested early and often according to the 2019 schedule released today by head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett.

It all begins Feb. 8-10, when the Cardinals open play with five games in the FGCU Kickoff Classic. After closing opening weekend with back-to-back contests versus the host Eagles, who were 39th in last season's final RPI rankings, Ball State will make its second of three trips to the Sunshine State for six games the Madeira Beach Invitational (Feb. 15-17).

The Cardinals fly out west Feb. 22-24 for five games at the Silicon Valley Classic hosted by San Jose State, before migrating back to Florida for its annual spring break trip.

The toughest pre-conference test for Ball State looks to be a five-game stop at the Under Armour Invitational (March 1-3) in Clearwater. Four of BSU's contests at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex will be played against top 111 RPI teams from a year ago, including back-to-back games versus NCAA super regional participant South Carolina and NCAA regional qualifier South Florida to open the event.

The Cardinals will play a midweek doubleheader at NCAA regional participant Bethune-Cookman (March 6), before closing spring break with four games at the JU/UNF Spring Break Challenge (March 8-9).

For its final pre-conference test, Ball State travels to the Mercer Bears Classic (March 15-17) for five games. Two of those contests will feature familiar faces on the opposing bench as Cardinals pitching alum Nicole Steinbach (2013-16) is an assistant coach for South Dakota and former assistant coach Stephanie DeFeo (2007-12) is the head coach at Mercer.

After 32 straight games on the road to open the season, which would tie as the second-longest stretch of road games in program history, the Cardinals are slated to open both league play and the home portion of its 2019 schedule versus Akron (March 22-23).

The 2019 Mid-American Conference schedule will see teams play six three-game weekend series with a single game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday. Teams also play a three-game midweek series featuring a doubleheader one week and a single game the next. With an odd number of MAC teams this season, each team will also have a weekend off of conference play.

In addition to the Zips, Ball State hosts Bowling Green (April 5-6) and Toledo (April 19-20). The Cardinals travel to Kent State (March 29-30), Western Michigan (April 12-13) and Central Michigan (April 26-27). BSU's split series will be against Northern Illinois, with an April 2 doubleheader in DeKalb and an April 10 single game in Muncie.

To make up for its off weekend, the Cardinals are scheduled to host Butler (April 23) and play both Oakland and Purdue Fort Wayne on May 4 in Fort Wayne.

The 2019 MAC Softball Championship returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, and runs May 8-11. The winner of the eight-team tournament earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship which starts with regional action May 17-19 on 16 campus sites.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.

Softball Set For Tough 2019 Slate, Starting Feb. 8-10

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