Challenging Schedule Awaits Softball in 2022

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball team will not shy away from any challenges during the 2022 season, with 13 of its 56 games slated against teams which reached NCAA Regionals according to the schedule released today (Wednesday, Dec. 8) by second-year head coach Lacy Schurr.

The Cardinals, who finished the 2021 season with a 37-18 overall mark and a program-record 31 Mid-American Conference (31-8) wins, open the 2022 slate Feb. 11-13 at the DePaul Dome Tournament where it will battle St. Thomas, Murray State, Seattle and Western Illinois.

BSU will then head south for its next two trips, starting at the Winthrop Kickoff Tournament Feb. 18-20 where it will battle Albany, Robert Morris, Towson, Western Carolina, and the host Eagles. After a week off, Ball State heads to the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois for games versus Murray State, Northern Kentucky, Northwestern and the host Salukis.

The Cardinals will then fly west for a mid-week contest versus Grand Canyon (March 9) and the Sun Devil Classic hosted by Arizona State. In addition to the host Sun Devils, BSU will play BYU, Grand Canyon and New Mexico State at the event.

BSU's final non-conference tournament will perhaps be its toughest of the season, as it will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for the Mizzou Classic. The Cardinals will play two games against host Missouri and three against Northwestern.

The Cardinals then open league play March 25-26 at Central Michigan. This season, BSU will play each of the 10 MAC opponents in three-game series, with five at home and five on the road. In an effort to get competition in against all 10 teams in seven weeks, the league will play three series mid-week.

Ball State will host Kent State (April 1-2), Ohio (April 9-10), Western Michigan (April 19-20), Bowling Green (April 29-30), and Akron (May 7-8). In addition to CMU, the Cardinals travel to Northern Illinois (April 5-6), Toledo (April 15-16), Buffalo (April 23-24), and defending league champion Miami (May 3-4).

The Mid-American Conference Tournament also returns for the 2022 campaign, with the league's top four teams battling it out for an NCAA Regional berth at the site of the regular season champion, or highest seed if there is a tie in the final standings, starting May 12 and running through May 14.

NCAA Regional play runs May 19-21 at campus sites, with NCAA Super Regionals following May 26-28 also at campus locations. The NCAA Division I Women's College World Series will be played June 2-8 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

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