Another Challenging Schedule Awaits Softball in 2020

MUNCIE, Ind. - - If we know one thing, it's that the Ball State softball team will be battle-tested when it enters Mid-American Conference play looking for the program's sixth conference title.

Over the course of pre-conference play, the Cardinals will play eight games versus NCAA regional participants and 13 contests against teams in the top half of last season's RPI rankings.

Last season, Ball State faced a similar gauntlet in pre-conference play and went on to finish the year with a 34-20 overall record. The 34 wins tied as the seventh-best single-season win total in program history.

The Cardinals open the 2020 campaign in Louisiana Feb. 7-9, where it will play games in both the 34th Annual Louisiana Classics hosted by Louisiana and the Cowgirl Classic hosted by McNeese.

Ball State will then spend three of the next four weekends in the state of Florida for the Jacksonville/UNF Challenge (Feb. 14-16), the UCF Invitational (Feb. 28-March 1) and the FIU Invitational (March 6-8). The Cardinals will also travel to Bethune-Cookman for a March 4 doubleheader as part of its spring break stay in the sunshine state.

The weekend of Feb. 21-23 will see Ball State stay a little closer to home, as it takes part in the Hilltopper Classic hosted by Western Kentucky.

In its final non-conference weekend, the Cardinals will head to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for a three-game set against perennial national power Michigan (March 14-15).

Ball State opens its 11-game home schedule on March 25 versus in-state rival Purdue Fort Wayne. The Cardinals will also travel to Wright State (April 7) and Butler (April 15) for midweek action.

The 2020 MAC slate will see Ball State face each of the other 10 league teams in a single-day doubleheader. The Cardinals host Northern Illinois (April 3), Western Michigan (April 4), Bowling Green (April 18), Ohio (April 24) and Miami (April 25), while traveling to Toledo (March 28), Central Michigan (April 10), Akron (April 11), Buffalo (May 1) and Kent State (May 2).

The 2020 MAC Softball Championship returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, and runs May 6-9. The winner of the eight-team tournament earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship which starts with regional action May 14-17 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.

Ball State University Athletics

Another Challenging Schedule Awaits Softball in 2020

Related News

Related Videos