SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - With the calendar year breezing by, the 2022 spring semester will arrive before one knows it, and Western Illinois baseball anticipates the start of another season.

Ahead of winter break, the team and fans can get a first look at The Summit League competition, as the league office unveiled its competition schedule between member schools. The slate will consist of eight three-game series beginning the weekend of March 18-20. The league's seven teams will play the remaining six programs once, with each team also having two designated programs to play twice during the season until its conclusion on Saturday, May 21.

Western opens Summit play on the road, visiting league newcomer Northern Colorado March 18-20. Spectators should have their eyes set on April 1, when the Leathernecks hold their home opener versus North Dakota State in the first of three straight days at Boyer Stadium. 

After making a trip to South Dakota State the following week, WIU is back home for two consecutive weeks to host Oral Roberts (April 15-17) and Omaha (April 22-24). A visit to St. Paul, Minnesota, to face St. Thomas, another new program in the league, rounds out the month of April for Western.

Northern Colorado comes to Macomb for a second season series against the Leathernecks during May 6-8. The final weekend of the regular season takes WIU to Fargo, North Dakota, where North Dakota State will hold a home-field advantage (May 19-21).