ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Bethel University softball team kicks off its 2021 campaign tomorrow (Friday, March 5) with a doubleheader against UW-Stout inside the Augsburg Dome at 1:30 p.m. BU continues the weekend with Edgewood in a Saturday morning doubleheader at 8 a.m. inside the dome. Spectators will not be permitted for this weekend's games.

As announced Wednesday by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, No spectators are permitted when a contest is conducted at an on-campus indoor facility (including domes). When a contest is conducted at an off-campus indoor facility and a MIAC team is designated as the host, spectators are limited to remaining outside of the playing area, contingent upon the facility and campus spectator policies.
 
After hosing Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the West St. Paul Dome on March 12, the Royals will kick off their spring break with a two-day road trip to Iowa where they take on Buena Vista and Central College.

Bethel closes out the non-conference portion of their schedule at Northwestern before hosting a to be determined opponent at the Dundas Dome on March 26.

The Royals kick off a 22-game MIAC schedule at St. Catherine on Saturday, Apr. 3. Bethel will have six home series at Ona Orth Athletic Complex and five series away.

The 2021 MIAC Softball Playoffs will move back one week to May 13-16, in accordance with the NCAA Tournament shifting back one week as well. The MIAC Softball Playoffs will include six teams this season. The first round of the conference tournament will follow a single-elimination "play-in" format followed by the traditional four-team double-elimination format over the final three days of playoff competition. The top two seeds in the tournament will automatically advance to the four-team double-elimination format. In the play-in round, No. 3 will host No. 6 and No. 4 will host No. 5. The double-elimination round will be played on the home field of the highest seed that accepts hosting rights.