Softball | 1/4/2019 1:05:00 PM
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Barry University head softball coach
Sean Cotter announced the team's 2019 schedule on Friday. The Buccaneers' 55-game regular season schedule includes 26 home contests and 30 Sunshine State Conference match-ups.
FULL SCHEDULE
"We are excited to play 26 home games this year," Cotter said. "That is the most we have had in a while. Our young team will be tested right away with a three-game series against a perennial top-10 program in Angelo State." Cotter added. The Buccaneers open up the regular season against Angelo State in Melbourne, Florida during the Florida Tech Invite. Barry will also play SSC foe Florida Tech, but it is not designated as a conference game. Last season, the Rams advanced to the DII College World Series and finished the season 55-9. The 2019 Bucs' roster contains 13 freshman and Cotter is excited to see his team go through the fire together. "I think any schedule that includes 30 games against SSC teams and series against teams like Angelo State, Columbus State, North Georgia, Georgia College, and Flagler is one of the toughest in the nation." Of the Bucs' 21 opponents this season, eight of them advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
This year, the home slate begins on February 8th with a double-header against East Stroudsburg at Buccaneer Softball Field. The following day, Emporia State will come down to Miami Shores and play a two-game set with the Bucs. Emporia State won their conference in 2018, it was the first MIAA Tournament Championship for the Hornets since 2012 and tenth overall in school history.
Sunshine State Conference play begins on February 15th at home against Rollins College. Every SSC team will play a three-game series against one another. The location of each series alternates every season.
Sandwiched in the middle of conference play are two tournaments with the Bucs first heading to Viera, Florida and taking on an impressive field of teams from the Peach Belt Conference. Highlighting the group is the 2018 Southeast Region and Peach Belt Conference champions, North Georgia who finished last season 62-4. Columbus State lost to North Georgia in the conference tournament final and Georgia College advanced to the Southeast Regional despite losing to CSU in the conference tournament semifinal.
On the first week of March, the Buccaneers head to Columbus, Georgia for the 2019 CSU classic which includes games against 2018 Conference Carolinas champion King University and South Atlantic Conference runner-up Coker College. The last non-conference opponent of the season comes to Miami Shores on March 14th, when Queens College for a three-game series.
NCAA Postseason: NCAA Division II Softball Regionals and Super Regionals will be held at non-predetermined sites Thursday, May 9th - Friday, May 17th. Finals will be held Thursday, May 23rd - Monday, May 27th at The Regency Athletic Complex in Denver, Colorado on the campus of Metropolitan State University. The 2019 Sunshine State Conference softball regular season champion will have an automatic qualifier to the NCAA regional.
Last season Palm Beach Atlantic University was crowned SSC champion for the first time in program history. Along with PBA, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Saint Leo University earned a regional bid. The Lions of Saint Leo battled to win the South 2 Region tournament, advancing to Super Regionals against the University of Alabama-Huntsville. After defeating Alabama-Huntsville in the Super Regional, SLU went 2-2 at the finals site, capping a tremendous season.
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