Ball State University Athletics
Softball Announces 2026 Schedule Featuring 15 Home Games
December 03, 2025 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Fans will get a treat at the newly renovated Ball State Softball Field this spring, as the Cardinals are slated to play 15 home games according to the 2026 schedule released today (Dec. 3) by third-year head coach Helen Peña.
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After starting the season with tournaments at FGCU (Feb. 6-8), Memphis (Feb. 12-14), Western Kentucky (Feb. 27-March 2) and Bellarmine (March 7-9), the Cardinals open Mid-American Conference play on its new turf field March 13-14 with a three-game series versus Akron.
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Ball State's home MAC schedule also includes three-game weekend series versus Ohio (April 3-4), Western Michigan (April 11-12) and Kent State (April 24-25).
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The Cardinals' MAC road foes include three-game sets at Central Michigan (March 20-21), Toledo (March 27-28), Northern Illinois (April 7-8), Miami (April 17-18) and Buffalo (May 1-2).
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In non-conference action, Ball State is slated to host in-state rivals Purdue (March 17), Butler (March 24) and Indiana State (April 15), while traveling to in-state foe IU Indy (March 31) to round out its current 50-game slate.
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The Mid-American Conference Softball Championship returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, May 6-9, with the league's top six teams qualifying for the event. The winner earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Softball Championship which begins with regional play (May 15-17).
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After starting the season with tournaments at FGCU (Feb. 6-8), Memphis (Feb. 12-14), Western Kentucky (Feb. 27-March 2) and Bellarmine (March 7-9), the Cardinals open Mid-American Conference play on its new turf field March 13-14 with a three-game series versus Akron.
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Ball State's home MAC schedule also includes three-game weekend series versus Ohio (April 3-4), Western Michigan (April 11-12) and Kent State (April 24-25).
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The Cardinals' MAC road foes include three-game sets at Central Michigan (March 20-21), Toledo (March 27-28), Northern Illinois (April 7-8), Miami (April 17-18) and Buffalo (May 1-2).
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In non-conference action, Ball State is slated to host in-state rivals Purdue (March 17), Butler (March 24) and Indiana State (April 15), while traveling to in-state foe IU Indy (March 31) to round out its current 50-game slate.
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The Mid-American Conference Softball Championship returns to Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio, May 6-9, with the league's top six teams qualifying for the event. The winner earns the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Softball Championship which begins with regional play (May 15-17).
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