Bowling Green State University Athletics
Softball Announces 2008 Schedule Featuring Four NCAA Tournament Teams
October 17, 2007 | Softball
Oct. 17, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University softball head coach Shannon Salsburg and the softball team has announced the complete 2008 schedule for the Falcons. The Orange and Brown will compete in four non-conference tournaments before beginning conference play and will match up against four teams that competed in the 2007 NCAA tournament last year along with teams from the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12. The Falcons will be on the road for most of their schedule until finally returning home in April to host their 10 home games of the season.
"This year's schedule is made up of tougher competition than in past years," said BGSU Head Softball Coach Shannon Salsburg. "We are in four non-conference tournaments, open in Chattanooga for the fourth year in a row, which will be great since we have had tons of success there in the past. We are also facing teams from some of the toughest conferences including the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12, along with four teams that made it to the NCAA tournament last year. We are looking forward to the challenging competition that will prepare us for the Mid-American Conference games," said Salsburg.
The Orange and Brown will take on four Big Ten opponents this season, three of which were in the top four of the Big Ten last year including Big Ten Champion Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, and Michigan State.
The Falcons will start of the 2008 season at familiar venue in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which has brought the Falcons success the past two years posting a 6-0 record in 2006 and a 4-1 record in 2007 wining back-to-back tournament championships. The Falcons will return to compete in the Chattanooga Classic hosted by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the fourth year in a row that the Falcons have participated in the tournament. BGSU will face Lipscomb (Feb. 22) for the first time ever. Also matching up against Bradley (Feb. 22), East Tennessee State (Feb. 23), host Chattanooga (Feb. 23), Big 12's Iowa State (Feb. 24), and St. Francis-Pa. (Feb. 24). The Falcons tied up the all-time series last year against Chattanooga with a 7-1 win. The Falcons were also successful against St. Francis in their first meeting recording a no hitter in an 8-0 victory.
The Falcons will open up the month of March at the War Eagle Classic hosted by the SEC's Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. The Falcons start the tournament against Lipscomb (Mar. 7) for their second match up of the season and then take on host Auburn (Mar. 7). The Falcons are also set to play Tennessee Tech (Mar. 8), who made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, and Georgia Southern (Mar. 8).
The Orange and Brown will continue down south as the move on to the Stetson University Tournament in Deland, Florida. The Falcons will play Elon (Mar. 14) for the first time, host Stetson (Mar. 14), who made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament last year, Iowa (Mar. 15) and end with two games against Michigan State (Mar. 15-16). The Falcons lead the all-time series against Stetson (7-2) and Michigan State (11-6).
The Falcons return to Ohio to close out the tournament portion of the 2008 schedule to compete in the Buckeye Invitational in Columbus hosted by Ohio State where they will face the reigning 2007 Big Ten Champions Ohio State. The schedule for the Buckeye Invitational has yet to be announced.
The Falcons will take on Big Ten opponent Michigan State for the third time of the season as they travel to East Lansing, Michigan on March 25, facing former BGSU head softball coach Jacquie Joseph.
Salsburg's squad will end the month of March officially opening the Mid-American Conference season on the road. First the Falcons will travel to Kent, Ohio with a double-header against 2007 MAC East division champions Kent State (Mar. 25). BGSU will then head to Buffalo, New York for two games against Buffalo (Mar. 29-30). Last season the Falcons swept the Bulls (9-0, 9-3), the Falcons lead the series with 14 victories in 17 meetings.
The highlight of the BGSU schedule will take place when the Orange and Brown take a brief break in MAC play to make a stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan to face last year's #9 Michigan (Apr. 2) who made it to the Super Regional of the NCAA tournament. The Orange and Brown were set to take on the Wolverines last season but due to weather the game was cancelled. The last time BGSU faced the Big Ten opponent was in 2006 when the Wolverines defeated the Falcons 3-0.
The Falcons will return to MAC play with another weekend on the road first facing Miami in a double-header on April 4 and then traveling to Muncie, Indiana for two games against the Ball State Cardinals (Apr. 5-6). The Falcons had a great weekend at home last year when they took on Miami and Ball State as they pulled off a four game sweep beating Miami 2-1 and 4-3 and defeated Ball State 5-0 and 7-3. The Falcons lead the Miami 48-35 in the all-times series and lead Ball State 14-3 in the all-times series.
After three months on the road the Falcons will finally return home for the 10 game home portion of their schedule. The Orange and Brown will host their home opener in a double-header against 2007 MAC Tournament champion Eastern Michigan on April 11. The Falcons lost two one run games to the Eagles last season. The Falcons lead the Eagles 44-32 in the all-time series.
The Falcons will welcome Central Michigan on April 12-13. BGSU spilt with the Chippewas last season losing their first game 2-0 and then coming back to beat Central Michigan 3-2.
Salsburg's squad will take another short break from MAC play during a mid-week competition as they host Detroit in a double-header on April 16. The Falcons swept Detroit at home last year 10-2 in five innings and 5-3 in nine innings. The Falcons lead the all-time series 31-7.
BGSU will finish up their home stand with two MAC West Division teams. First they will take on Northern Illinois in a double header on April 18. The Falcons took two from the Huskies last season shutting them out 10-0 in five innings and beating them 3-2. The Falcons lead the all-time series 17-12. The last two home games for the Brown and Orange will be against Western Michigan (April 19-20). The Falcons split with the Broncos beating them 7-2 and then losing 1-0 in eight innings.
BGSU will finish the month of April wrapping up their divisional crossover play on the road in Toledo, Ohio when they face the Rockets on April 26-27. The Falcons finished the month of April last year with two wins against the Rockets, 3-0 and 5-1. The Falcons lead the all-time series 52-33 against Toledo.
The Falcons will prepare for the MAC Tournament and finish up the regular season play on the road with a full weekend of games. The Falcons will play a double-header against Ohio (May 2). The last two meetings between the Falcons and Bobcats were in favor of the Falcons as they won 12-5 and 5-3 in Athens, Ohio. The final test for the Falcons will be a two day stand against Akron (May 3-4). The match up between the Falcons and the Zips will be the first time that assistant coach Tina McCauley will face her alma mater in the opposing dugout. The Falcons played the Zips in non-conference play last season at the Panera Challenge in Chattanooga, Tennessee beating them, 8-3, but were unable to play them in during conference play due to weather.
Post-season play will begin May 7 at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio and will continue through May 10. The Falcons marked their fifth consecutive appearance in the MAC Tournament last season and the ninth overall in the last 10 years.
To view entire schedule click HERE.
