2014 Softball Schedule  

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle Softball Head Coach Ron Shoemaker has announced the 2014 schedule, highlighted by four early season tournaments and five Atlantic 10 home series.

"We are pleased with this schedule as it upgrades the level of competition and places a priority on being prepared to play our A-10 games," Shoemaker said. "We will play a few more tournament games which will allow us to miss less class time and have practice times to prepare."

The Explorers kick off their 2014 campaign at the Kickin' Chicken Classic at Coastal Carolina University on February 14, where they will take on Purdue in the season opener at 10 a.m. They will also play Towson later in the day, followed by host Coastal and a second tilt against Towson the next day.

The Explorers head to Norfolk, Va., after that for the Norfolk State Spartan Clash to take on Fairleigh Dickinson, Yale, Delaware State and host Norfolk State on Feb. 22-23.

The squad returns to the Rebel Spring Games once again this season from March 3-7, with game opponents and times to be announced by the Rebel Games committee as the season nears.

The Explorers wrap up tournament play at Coppin State on March 15-16. There they will face Youngstown State, UMass Lowell, Mount St. Mary's and host Coppin State.

They return to Philadelphia for a twinbill at Temple on March 19 for one last tune-up before Atlantic 10 play begins on March 22. The Explorers host St. Bonaventure in the conference and home opener on the 22nd before going back on the road until April 9.

In total, the Explorers will host five Atlantic 10 squads and one nonconference foe at West Campus Field this season. Visiting A-10 teams include St. Bonaventure (3/22), George Mason (4/12), Massachusetts (4/17, 4/18), Rhode Island (4/19) and Fordham (4/26), as well as local foe Villanova (4/9). They will also play on the road at Dayton (3/29), George Washington (4/5), Saint Joseph's (4/23) and Saint Louis (5/3) in conference play, while visiting Penn (3/26), Drexel (4/15), UMBC (4/22) and Rider (4/30) in nonleague action.