BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State softball team, led by head coach Jamie Brown, unveiled its schedule for the 2022 season on Thursday. The Bengals will compete in 40 regular season games, including 14 at the Buffalo State Softball Field. Buffalo State, selected third in the SUNYAC preseason poll, will return to a more traditional, 18-game conference regular season slate.
 
The journey for the Bengals begins in Clermont, Florida, as the team will compete in The Spring Games from March 19-25, a 12-game sprint against teams from all across the country. The Bengals begin with a matchup against Clarkson and Hamline on March 19, and will also compete against Augustana (IL), Hamilton, Luther, Union, Wisconsin-Whitewater, Chicago, Trinity (CT), Washington and Jefferson, Centre, and Colby.
 
Returning to New York, the Bengals' home opener is also their SUNYAC opener, as they compete against Cortland in a doubleheader on Friday, April 1 (3 p.m.), a rematch of last year's SUNYAC Tournament Semifinal Series. Buffalo State will host Oswego for two on Saturday, April 2.
 
The Bengals then begin the first of two long road trips, a six-game run at Medaille (April 5) and conference foes Oneonta (April 8) and New Paltz (April 9). Returning home, Buffalo State hosts Nazareth (April 13) and NCAA Tournament participant St. John Fisher (April 14) in non-conference action.
 
The season-long 'Battle by the Lake' series against rival Fredonia continues on April 16, as the teams will meet in Buffalo. Three days later, the Bengals will begin their season-long, eight game road trip, beginning with two at defending Empire 8 champion Alfred University. The next day, Buffalo State heads to RIT in a mid-week contest, before heading to the weekend with an April 22 date at defending SUNYAC champion Geneseo. The road trip finishes with a doubleheader at Brockport on April 23.
 
The Bengals then return home for the final four games of the regular season, beginning with two against Potsdam on April 29, and concluding with the finale against Plattsburgh on the final day of April.
 
The SUNYAC Tournament will run from May 5-8, with the top six teams in the conference standings competing in a double-elimination format for the SUNYAC title. The tournament winner will receive the conference's automatic bid for the upcoming NCAA Division III Softball Tournament.
 
Buffalo State returned to the SUNYAC Tournament last season and looks to earn the program's fifth conference title in 2022. The Bengals were selected to finish third in the 10-team conference standings, in a vote conducted by the league's coaches.