CHICAGO (February 10, 2021) – Ten home dates highlight the 2021 Loyola University Chicago softball schedule that was revealed today by second-year head coach Alicia Abbott. The Ramblers open up the season Friday (Feb. 12) when they take on Kansas City at the DePaul Dome Tournament at The Dome in Rosemont.
 
Loyola will play the first six weeks of the season away from home beginning with the DePaul Dome Tournament, February 12-14, in which it will face Kansas City, Western Illinois and the host Blue Demons, before it wraps up February with a doubleheader at Belmont (Feb. 26).
 
Abbott's squad opens the month of March by playing in tournaments at Lipscomb (March 5-7) and Saint Louis (March 13-14) before it dives into Missouri Valley Conference action with a three-game series at Evansville (March 20-21). Following a showdown with local rival Northwestern on March 24, the Ramblers play their final Valley games of the month March 27 and 28 at Illinois State and close out March with their home opener on March 31 against DePaul.
 
After playing almost the entirety of its season away from home to that point, Loyola starts off April with 11 of its first 12 games of the month at Loyola Softball Park, beginning with three-game, conference-weekend sets versus in-state foes Southern Illinois (April 2-3) and Bradley (April 10-11). A quick step out of MVC play follows with a short trip to Notre Dame (April 13) and then the Ramblers are back in Rogers Park for a three-game series versus Northern Iowa (April 17-18) and a twin bill with Valparaiso (April 21). 
 
Seven straight road games await, with trips to Missouri State (April 24-25), Valparaiso (April 28) and Drake (May 1-2) on the docket before the Maroon and Gold closes out the 2021 regular season slate with a three-game set at home against Indiana State (May 7-8). Evansville is the host for this year's MVC Championship, which will take place May 13-15.
 
Loyola is coming off a 12-9 season in 2020 and Abbott welcomes back six starters from that club, including 2019 First Team All-MVC first baseman Allyson Ivey.