By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – There will be a lot of new faces and familiar foes on the diamond this season as the Tennessee Tech softball team prepares to open its 2022 campaign.
The 37th season of Golden Eagle softball will feature four pre-conference tournaments – including the first one in Cookeville since the 2002 campaign – as well as a couple of power conference opponents including in-state foe Tennessee before starting another exciting season of Ohio Valley Conference competition.
All times listed are Central.
The 2022 season kicks off on February 11 in Clinton, S.C., as the Golden Eagles travel to the Blue Hose Invitational, hosted by Presbyterian College. Tech kicks off with a 9 a.m. matchup against Northern Kentucky, then takes on the host at 11:15. The next day, the Golden Eagles take on South Carolina State at 9 a.m., then face off with Northern Kentucky once more at 1:30 p.m. The tournament concludes for the Golden Eagles on the third day with an 11:15 a.m. contest against S.C. State.
On Feb. 18-20, Tech softball will head to Chattanooga to compete in the Chattanooga Challenge. Kicking off with Purdue Ft. Wayne (11:30 a.m.) and Northwestern State (2 p.m.) on the first day, the Golden Eagles will face Indiana State (11:30 a.m.) and host Chattanooga (4:30 p.m.).
Tech will open up the home portion of its schedule on Feb. 23 as the Golden Eagles host Northern Iowa for a 3 p.m. contest.
The third weekend will see a trip to Spartanburg, S.C., and a return visit to the Wings Etc. Classic at USC Upstate. The tournament will feature two games against Pittsburgh, a contest against Cleveland State and two against host USC Upstate.
As the Golden Eagles enter March, they will travel to Knoxville on Wed., March 2 to take on Tennessee for a 4 p.m. contest. Three days later, Tech will have a weekend series at East Tennessee State with a doubleheader on March 5 and a single game on March 6.
On March 11-13, Tech will host its first home tournament in 20 years as the Golden Eagles bring Quinnipiac, Bellarmine and Indiana State into the Tech Softball Field for the event. Tech will face Quinnipiac on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Bellarmine on Saturday at 4 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m., and Indiana State at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Tech then will go to Evansville for a midweek doubleheader on March 16.
Ohio Valley Conference play opens on March 19 and 20 as the Golden Eagles open the league slate at UT Martin. Tech is back home to take on Southeast Missouri on March 26 and 27. March concludes and April opens with a midweek doubleheader at Morehead State on March 30, then a three-game set at Austin Peay on April 2 and 3.
North Alabama will visit the Tech Softball Field for a midweek contest on April 6, then the Golden Eagles will have two straight weekends at home as SIUE comes into town on April 9 and 10, followed by Belmont on April 15 and 16.
A trip to Chattanooga on April 19 will close out the non-conference slate, then Tech will head to Nashville to take on Tennessee State on April 23 and 24.
The Golden Eagles will wrap up the home portion of the schedule with a visit from Morehead State for a twinbill on April 27, then a weekend set with Murray State on April 30 and May 1. Tech will close out the regular season with a trip to Eastern Illinois on May 7 and 8.
The Ohio Valley Conference tournament will be held May 11 through 14 in Oxford, Ala., at Choccolocco Park.
All home games at the Tech Softball Field are free and open to the public. Schedules are subject to change.
