FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – A 24-game, season-opening homestand and matchups with 12 NCAA Tournament teams highlight the 2010 Texas A&M baseball schedule, announced Tuesday by head coach Rob Childress.
The Aggies will play 40 of their 56 games at the friendly confines of Olsen Field, where they have won 95 games over the last three seasons. In addition, half of A&M’s games in 2010 will be against opponents who will be coming off trips to the NCAA Tournament.
"This is another rugged and challenging schedule, and it’s one I know our players, staff and fans alike will be excited about," Childress said.
"We have the best fans in the country, and I’m excited about the fact that we’ll be able to play so many games in front of the Olsen Field faithful. Without question they give us a big advantage before we even step onto the field."
A&M will open the 2010 campaign on Friday, February 19 when Seton Hall makes its first-ever trip to Olsen Field for a three-game set. The teams’ only previous meeting came in the 1964 College World Series.
The Aggies will host Western Illinois (Feb. 26-28), Winthrop (March 5-7) and Washington State (March 12-14), who advanced to the NCAA Norman Regional last season, over the next three weekends. BYU (March 2) and Penn State (March 9-10) will also visit College Station for mid-week matchups.
The first six Big 12 games will also be at Olsen Field, as the Aggies will bring in Texas Tech (March 19-21) to open conference play and then welcome Missouri the following weekend (March 26-28).
Texas A&M will hit the road for the first time on March 30, traveling to San Marcos to face NCAA Tourney team Texas State at Bobcat Stadium. The Aggies will then make a quick turnaround and head to Lawrence for a Thursday-Saturday series at Kansas heading into the Easter weekend.
Other Big 12 teams making the trip to Olsen Field in 2009 are NCAA participants Baylor (April 9), Texas (April 17-18), Oklahoma (April 23-25) and Kansas State (May 21-23). The Aggies will travel to Baylor (April 10-11), Texas (April 16), Nebraska (April 30-May 2) and Oklahoma State (May 14-16).
A&M will host Rice (April 20) and Dallas Baptist (May 6-8) in key non-conference matchups, while road trips for the Aggies include games at NCAA participants TCU (April 13) and Sam Houston State (May 4). A&M will wrap up its non-conference road slate with a trip to Houston to face the Cougars (May 11).
"The Big 12 should once again be one of the best leagues in the nation," Childress said. "I think the non-conference schedule we’ve put together will give us a great chance to evaluate where we stand and get prepared for league play and beyond. Our goal is always to be the last team standing in Omaha, and that will be no different this season."
The Aggies return six starters and 20 letterwinners from a 2009 squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Fall workouts are scheduled to begin on September 21.
