Michigan announces 2010 Slate

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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

FULL 2010 SCHEDULE

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — University of Michigan head baseball coach Rich Maloney announced Thursday (Sept. 17) a 55-game 2010 schedule, which stacks up among the most challenging in his eight-year tenure with the Wolverines. The slate features six NCAA tournament qualifiers from a year ago.

The season starts a week earlier in 2010 with Michigan traveling to the Texas Tech Tournament, Feb. 19-21, for matchups with Maine and the host Red Raiders. A return trip to the Big Ten/Big East Tournament follows as the Wolverines take on NCAA Super Regional participant Louisville on Feb. 26, as well as St. Johns and South Florida in the three-day event.

Highlighting the pre-conference slate is a three-game series at 2009 College World Series participant North Carolina. The Tar Heels have reached the CWS each of the last four seasons.

Michigan closes the 17-game road swing to start the season with trips to the Caravelle Resort Classic, March 12-14, hosted by Coastal Carolina, and a three-game series with Fordham University, March 19-20, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., as well as the annual exhibition contest against the N.Y. Mets on March 21.

"I certainly think this is the most challenge schedule we have had in my time at Michigan," Maloney said. "We have the privilege of playing against some really top-notch schools from top-notch conferences. Texas Tech is on the rise in the Big 12, Coastal Carolina is one of the winningest teams over the last five years in college baseball and North Carolina is a tremendous challenge, especially at their ballpark. All three schools at the Big Ten/Big East challenge are going to be extremely tough as well. That doesn’t even count the tremendous challenge of the Big Ten schedule. We will get a good barometer early of where we stand and what we need to do to accomplish our goals."

The Wolverines make their 2010 home debut versus IPFW, a three-game series starting on March 26 at the Wilpon Baseball Complex, home of Ray Fisher Stadium. That series is part of a 22-game home docket. Highlighting non-conference action at home is the first night game of the season on April 20 when the Wolverines host Notre Dame.

Big Ten play kicks off at Indiana, April 2-4, with Purdue opening conference action at Fisher Stadium, April 9-11. Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan State and Northwestern all visit Ann Arbor in 2010.

Fans will get their first opportunity to preview the 2010 squad when the Wolverines host the Ontario Blue Jays in exhibition action on Oct. 5, 2009, at the Wilpon Complex. Admission for the 4 p.m. contest is free of charge.