OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 1, 2021) -- New Oklahoma Christian softball coach Shalee Rodriguez has put together a challenging 50-game schedule for the Eagles for the 2022 season.

The Eagles – who finished the 2021 regular season ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division II, earned the No. 1 seed in the South Central Regional and posted a 38-9 record – will open their 2022 campaign in the toughest nonconference event in Division II, the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational at Scrap Yard Sports in Conroe, Texas.

OC will face in-state rival Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 4 before playing longtime national power Augustana (S.D.) and Colorado School of Mines the next day. Augustana won the 2019 Division II title and tied for third in last season's national tournament. On Feb. 6, the Eagles will play Central Missouri and Harding (Ark.). Central Missouri qualified for the Central Regional last season.

The Eagles then will co-host (with Central Oklahoma) the Edmond Regional Festival the next two weeks. The first weekend, OC will host Rogers State and Missouri Southern on Feb. 11, Southern Nazarene on Feb. 12 and Southwestern Oklahoma State on Feb. 13.

The next weekend the Eagles will face Oklahoma Baptist on Feb. 17, East Central and Nebraska-Kearney on Feb. 18, Northeastern State and Southern Arkansas on Feb. 19 and Harding on Feb. 20. Southern Arkansas also was in the Central Regional last season.

OC then will open play in the Lone Star Conference, the deepest league in Division II. The Eagles will host Lubbock Christian (Texas) and Angelo State (Texas), two LSC powerhouses, for doubleheaders on March 4 and 6, respectively. The Eagles' first LSC road trip will be to Texas A&M International on March 11 and Texas A&M-Kingsville (a 2021 South Central Regional qualifier) on March 13.

Then will come a nine-game homestand. OC will host LSC rivals St. Edward's (Texas) on March 18 and St. Mary's (Texas) on March 20 before a single game against Southwest Baptist (Mo.) on March 23. Then LSC foes Midwestern State (Texas) and Texas Woman's will visit Tom Heath Field on March 25 and 27, respectively.

OC will travel to Eastern New Mexico on April 1 and reigning Division II champion West Texas A&M on April 3 for LSC doubleheaders. Following that trip will be an eight-game homestand, with doubleheaders against LSC opponents Texas-Permian Basin on April 8 and Western New Mexico on April 10 and nonconference foes Northwestern Oklahoma State on April 13 and Arkansas Tech (a 2021 Central Regional qualifier) on April 19.

The Eagles will close the regular season with doubleheaders at 2021 LSC regular-season champion Texas-Tyler on April 22, South Central Regional runner-up Texas A&M-Commerce on April 24 and in-state LSC foe Cameron on April 30.

The single-elimination LSC postseason tournament will include 10 teams and will be played from May 5-7 at the site of the top-seeded team (which, in 2021, was OC).