Softball Announces 2008 Schedule
10/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 5, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Four regular-season tournaments, along with home games against in-state rivals Ole Miss and Mississippi State, highlight the 2008 Southern Miss softball schedule released today by first-year coach Howard Dobson.
The schedule also includes games against six teams which reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago, including Houston, Louisiana-Lafayette, Florida State, Penn State, Mississippi State and LSU.
"We are excited about the non-conference schedule we are playing," said Dobson. "We open up at the Florida State Tournament, along with playing against strong tournament fields at Kennesaw State, Louisiana-Lafayette and LSU. Florida State, Louisville, UL and LSU are all ranked in the Top 25. We will definitely face strong competition in non-conference, before we open league play."
The 2008 home slate features 22 games for the Lady Eagles, including the first home series against Jackson State (Feb. 20).
Southern Miss also will play non-conference opponents McNeese State (Mar. 5), Ole Miss (Mar. 12), Mississippi State (Mar. 18), Northwestern State (Mar. 26), South Alabama (April 16) and Louisiana-Lafayette (April 20) at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
The Lady Eagles open C-USA play at home with a three-game series against Tulsa (Mar. 8-9). Other conference home series include UAB (Mar. 29-30), Marshall (April 9-12), and UCF (May 3-4).
Southern Miss also travels to East Carolina (Mar. 15-16), Houston (Mar. 21-22), Memphis (April 12-13), and UTEP (April 26-27).
Other road tilts include single games at Nicholls State (Feb. 13), South Alabama (Feb. 27), Southeastern Louisiana (April 2), Ole Miss (April 10), and Mississippi State (April 23).
The Conference USA Championship is scheduled for May 8-10 in Houston, Texas.
The 2008La.dy Eagles return 14 letterwinners, including seven starting position players and two starting pitchers from last year's squad.