Williamsburg, KY – With the season starting in less than a month, Head Coach Bailey Dillender and the Patriots softball team welcome a 56-game schedule for 2022. This season, Cumberlands will feature 21 home contests at the UC Softball Complex, a place that a season ago the team boasted a 27-8 home record.

Ranked 22^nd themselves to begin the year, the Patriots will face 11 opponents within the first month of play that are mentioned in the NAIA Preseason Poll, with ten of those before they enter Mid-South Conference play on March 2.

The tough schedule is no accident, Coach Dillender and her staff made sure the Patriots were playing some of the top teams in the country this season. "We're at the point now, the next phase for us to go beat the best," said Coach Dillender. "Go play those top teams consistently. We're going to play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic, which we were invited to because we were ranked in the top-25 last year. The only way we're going to continue to make a name for ourselves and continue to stay on the scene softball wise nationally is go play against those teams, compete against them and hopefully beat them."

For those opening non-conference contests, UC will compete in three tournaments starting with the Grizzly Open from February 12-13. The season opener is against Thomas University followed by (RV) Reinhardt and #11 Georgia Gwinnett.

The Patriots will then play host to Tennessee Wesleyan for a double header on February 15 before their annual Bear Creek Tournament in Oneida, TN where UC went 4-0 last year. For the three-day tournament starting on February 18, Cumberlands will welcome Huntington and Lawrence Tech on day one, followed by (RV) Taylor and Indiana at South Bend on day two, and then to close out the weekend, UC will face Indiana at South Bend once again and then (RV) Rio Grande.

For their final tournament of the regular season, the Patriots will have their toughest slate when they head to Columbus, GA for the NFCA Leadoff starting February 25. All five of UC's opponents are at least receiving votes, starting with (RV) Truett McConnell and #16 William Carey for Friday's action. Saturday will have the Patriots up against (RV) Coastal Georgia and (RV) Mobile. Then closing out the tournament against (RV) Indiana Southeast.

Once UC goes into conference play it is no easy task as well. "The Mid-South has so much depth to it now," said Coach Dillender. "Every weekend is a dog fight, every weekend is one of those things, if you take the weekend off, you'll come home 0-4 and that is even against the bottom half of the conference."

Cumberlands will then open up MSC play on March 2 in Columbia, KY against the defending MSC Regular Season Co-Champions in #23 Lindsey Wilson. They will then finish the four-game series on March 9 after their MSC home opener series against UT-Southern from March 4-5.

Before the Pats have a week off from MSC foes, UC will travel to Lebanon, TN to take on the Phoenix of Cumberland U on March 11-12. Cumberlands will follow it up with a five-game slate of non-conference opponents, first, hosting Milligan on March 15. Then traveling back to Lawrenceville, GA for a doubleheader against Georgia Gwinnett, where a season ago the two teams split their series. The non-conference opponents will be rounded out with Alice Lloyd on March 22 for a doubleheader at the UC Softball Complex.

They will continue at home for their series against Shawnee State on March 25-26 before embarking on a six-game road trip starting with a double header in Athens, TN against Tennessee Wesleyan on March 29. The Patriots wrap up their road trip with a four-game series against Thomas More in Crestview Hills, KY on April 1-2.

Next up is the MSC Regular Season and Tournament Champions, Campbellsville, currently ranked #10 in the NAIA on April 8-9. Last season UC, took three of the four games, including a five-inning run rule of 12-4 in game three.

Then the Patriots will go on another road trip, their last of the regular season. First heading to Milligan College, TN to take on Milligan on April 13 and then to Pikeville, KY to take on UPike over April 15-16.

UC's final regular season games of the season will be on April 22-23 against Georgetown at home. Then the team will look to make the Mid-South Conference Tournament with opening round games starting April 29.

As the Patriots prepare for the season, fans can follow along with the team on Twitter and Instagram.
 
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