Seton Hall University Softball Unveils 2014 Schedule
12/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Dec. 13, 2013
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Seton Hall University head softball coach Paige Smith Friday unveiled the Pirates' complete 2014 schedule which features 56 games including six non-conference tournaments and a 21-game BIG EAST schedule.
The Pirates will battle six squads that qualified for the 2013 NCAA Tournament during non-conference play including northeast regional power Hofstra, in addition to Pennsylvania, Valparaiso, Mississippi Valley State, Stony Brook and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
NON-CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS
Smith has put together a challenging early season schedule that will see Seton Hall travel to six tournaments in six weeks starting with the Hampton Inn Campbell University Stampede Tournament on Feb. 7-9, in Buies Creek, N.C. The Pirates face IPFW in the season opener on Feb. 7, and will also meet tournament host Campbell, Valparaiso and UMass-Lowell.
From there the team heads to Charlotte, N.C., on Feb. 14-16, for the UNC Charlotte First Pitch Classic which includes a pair of matchups with Charlotte in addition to games against Drexel and Cleveland State.
After the back-to-back trips down South Seton Hall heads west for the Arizona State Diamond Devil Invitational on Feb. 21-23, in Tempe, Ariz., and the UNLV Eller Stadium Classic on Feb. 28-March 2, in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Diamond Devil Invitational will see the Pirates play Mississippi Valley State, Idaho State, Drake and Boston College, and in Las Vegas Seton Hall faces New Mexico State, Binghamton, Weber State, and tournament host UNLV.
"I'm excited about the tough non-conference schedule and I am also really looking forward to having the opportunity to play so many games in February," Smith said. "It allows us to play single midweek games down the stretch so we can rest our team in the midst BIG EAST play when it really counts."
Spring break will be in sunny Clearwater, Fla., where Seton Hall will play 11 games in 10 days as it competes in the USF Under Armour Showcase from March 7-9, and City of Clearwater Spring Invitational March 14-16, with a single game against Pennsylvania sandwiched in between.
At the Under Armour Showcase the Pirates are scheduled to play Southern Illinois, Penn State, Western Michigan, Maine and Yale while the Spring Invitational features Boston University, Miami (Ohio), Bryant and rematches with Yale and Massachusetts.
"I'm looking forward to going west a couple of times because we have some kids on our team from out there and it will be a chance for their families to watch them play," said Smith. "More than anything I am looking forward to the two tournaments in Florida. We will be able to stay down there as a team, have some team bonding activities and I think that will be something that can push a good team into the great status."
NON-CONFERENCE FOES
Some of Seton Hall's most difficult non-conference games of the season will come in the form of mid-week matchups after the Pirates have started BIG EAST play. Seton Hall and Rutgers will play a home-and-away series with the Scarlet Knights paying a visit to South Orange on April 2, with the Pirates visiting Piscataway a week later.
The Pirates face Hofstra on the road in a single afternoon contest on April 15, and concludes non-conference play by hosting a doubleheader against Stony Brook on April 30. Seton Hall will also play two against Saint Peter's at home on March 26.
"We have a large pitching staff this year so it is going to be important to get everyone some work," said Smith. "As we found out last year you never know who is going to become your ace when it really counts. Jen Metzger had the hot hand at the end of the year and she had only thrown a couple of games. Having the midweek games against tough opponents is going to allow us to throw pitchers who may not be starting at the beginning of the year and give them valuable experience."
BIG EAST
This year's BIG EAST schedule features a three-game series against all seven conference foes with nine of those matchups coming at Mike Sheppard, Sr. Field. The BIG EAST opener will also be the home opener for Seton Hall as it opens a three-game set with Providence College on March 22.
The Pirates' other two BIG EAST home series feature a pair of newcomers to the conference. SHU welcomes Creighton University on April 12-13, and Butler University on April 26-27.
Road series include a trip to Villanova University on March 29-30, three games at DePaul on April 5-6, a visit out to St. John's University on April 17-19, and for the second-straight year the regular season will conclude with three games at Georgetown, May 3-4.
The 2014 BIG EAST Championship will feature the top four teams in the conference and will be held May 9-10, at the Ballpark at Rosemont in Rosemont, Ill.
"I think playing every conference team is a way to make sure the best teams make it to the end and I am a fan of the four-team championship format because it makes the regular season worth something," said Smith. "If you are in the top half then you get a chance to go into tournament play, I've never been a fan of having everyone go to the conference tournament because it makes the first 30 games less significant."
