Oklahoma Baptist University Maples Releases 2023 OBU Softball Schedule

Sam Maples/Head Softball Coach | Oklahoma Baptist University

By Press release submission

Dec 30, 2022

After its best Division II season to date in 2022, Oklahoma Baptist and fifth-year coach Sam Maples have even higher hopes for the upcoming 2023 campaign.

Just 50 days remain before the green and gold hit the field.

"We have a very competitive schedule for our 2023 season and our team is ready," Maples said.

"We were able to intersquad almost every week this fall as well as face some very talented local junior college teams. It was fun to get to see our young talent mix with our experienced players and watch them learn to play together."

Competition starts between Feb. 2-4 in Lafayette, La., when the Bison face five teams: Delta State, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Midwestern State, Union (TN) and Mississippi College.

A week later at the Midwestern State Invitational, OBU has five more contests from Feb. 9-11: MSU, Rockhurst, Fort Hays State and Cameron twice. Those games will be played in the towns of Wichita Falls, Texas and Lawton, Okla.

OBU's final tournament comes Feb. 17-18 at the Emporia State Classic in Kansas. The Bison will face the likes of Minnesota State-Mankato, Winona State, Washburn and the host Hornets.

After three consecutive weekends away from home, OBU will have its first contests in Shawnee on Feb. 21 against Newman. Great American Conference action begins after that.

On Feb. 24-25, the Bison will visit Harding for a three-game series to close the month. Then, the first weekend of March (3-4) brings Northwestern Oklahoma State to Bison Hill. Those games versus the Rangers will be a part of five straight home league games. The next two come against Southern Nazarene on March 7.

In the middle of March, OBU will be back on the road. From March 10 to the 18, the Bison will visit Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southwest Baptist, Drury and Arkansas-Monticello.

The month of March will then close with a pair of three-game GAC series. Southern Arkansas pays a visit on the 24th and 25th before the Bison travel down to East Central on March 31 and April 1.

Over the remainder of April, here's how the Bison's schedule shakes out.

The team will visit Oklahoma Christian for a single game on the 4th and then return home the 6th and 7th against Southwestern Oklahoma State. OBU's next midweek game comes Apr. 11 at Southern Nazarene, another GAC contest.

After that game at SNU, the Bison will close the next three weekends with GAC series. On Apr. 14-15, Ouachita ventures to town before the Bison make their final trip to Arkansas with three games against Henderson State on Apr. 21-22.

OBU's final regular-season series will take place at home against Arkansas Tech on the 28th and 29th.

Postseason play at the GAC Tournament will run from May 3-7 in Bentonville, Ark. The top eight teams in the league standings will qualify.