:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57328377/176935515.0.jpg)
It may seem like it’s a long way off, given the fact that professional baseball is still going right now (obligatory: Go Dodgers). But the Syracuse Orange softball season is actually right around the corner. Sort of.
On Wednesday, SU announced its 2018 schedule, which gets started in Baton Rouge, La. on February 9 against UT Arlington. As is customary for this team being in a cold weather environment, they’ll start out the year on the road quite a bit. After five games in Baton Rouge, the Orange play five games in Palm Springs, Calif., then five in Houston and five more in Fairfax, Va.
Syracuse opens the ACC schedule away from home as well, playing three games at Virginia Tech in early March. The Orange don’t play a home game until a March 30 game against Boston College.
SU’s schedule features six NCAA Tournament teams, including LSU, Utah, UCLA, Florida State, Notre Dame and North Carolina. They’ll face the ACC foes three times apiece.
The Orange are coming off some nice progress in 2017, when they went 15-15 overall and 4-8 in the ACC. They were led by senior Sydney O’Hara, who’s since graduated. But a veteran-laden roster could potentially continue to grow into a contending team this season.