Oct. 31, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame softball head coach Deanna Gumpf announced Wednesday that the team will face two of the last four NCAA Women’s College World Series champions and the 2012 Series runner-up on the West Coast leg of its competitive 2013 spring schedule.
The Fighting Irish travel to the Campbell/Cartier Classic at San Diego State University (Feb. 15-17) for the second consecutive season. Opponents during the five-game showcase include 2009 NCAA champion Washington (Feb. 15) and 2012 NCAA runner-up Oklahoma (Feb. 17).
Notre Dame travels back out West for four games at the Arizona State University Diamond Devil Invitational March 9-10, with the final contest of the event pitting the Fighting Irish against 2011 NCAA champion Arizona State March 10.
Notre Dame opens its spring with four games at the Charlotte Fast Pitch Classic, and will face Wisconsin and host Charlotte Feb. 9 before taking on Wisconsin and Presbyterian Feb. 10.
After returning to the East Coast, Notre Dame will play four games at the Pirate Invitational at East Carolina University Feb. 23-24 before making a third straight appearance in the Citrus Classic March 2-3 at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex in Buena Vista, Fla.
Notre Dame will play Cal State Fullerton March 13 and Arizona March 14 as part of the prestigious Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., before wrapping up tournament play at UC Riverside March 15-16.
The Fighting Irish open BIG EAST play with a three-game series at Seton Hall March 23-24 before traveling to Western Michigan for a single non-conference game March 27.
Wisconsin-Green Bay will be the first visitor Notre Dame welcomes to Melissa Cook Stadium for the 2013 season March 28. After a league doubleheader April 3 at Georgetown, the Fighting Irish return to their home field for a set of BIG EAST games against Villanova April 6-7.
An April 9 non-conference tilt at Northwestern sets the stage for four straight games at Melissa Cook Stadium against Toledo (April 10) and Rutgers (April 13-14).
Non-league matchups at Michigan State (April 16) and home against Valparaiso (April 18) lead into a three-game BIG EAST road trip to Pittsburgh (April 20-21). Notre Dame heads home to host a doubleheader against Connecticut April 23 before the regular season’s final road swing through DePaul April 27-28.
The final homestand of 2013 at Melissa Cook Stadium will feature the Fighting Irish squaring off with Eastern Michigan April 30 before a three-game set with defending BIG EAST Champion Louisville caps the regular season May 4-5.
The BIG EAST Conference Championship will be held May 9-11 at the University of South Florida Softball Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
NCAA Regionals are set to begin May 17 at various campus sites. The 2013 Women’s College World Series will be held May 28-June 3 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
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