FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
OXFORD, Ohio – Highlighted by 23 home games and contests against four 2009 NCAA Tournament participants, head coach Dan Simonds has released Miami University’s 2010 baseball schedule. Miami will play its first 15 games away from Oxford before hosting Northern Kentucky March 17.
The RedHawks open their 2010 campaign at Clemson Feb. 19, facing a Tiger team that made the NCAA Super Regionals a year ago and finished 14th in the nation. It will be Miami’s first meeting with Clemson since 1965 – the only other time the ‘Hawks have played the Tigers. While in South Carolina, Miami will also face Furman Feb. 20 — having traveled to Greenville, S.C. in 2006 as well — and Michigan State Feb. 21 in a neutral-site game in Greenville. The RedHawks last faced the Spartans in 1979 when they fell in the NCAA Mideast Regional.
A three-game set at Louisiana-Lafayette, who Miami defeated in the teams’ last meeting in 2008, is on the docket for Feb. 26-28. The following weekend, the RedHawks head south again to take on Southeastern Conference foe Auburn March 5-7. The Tigers and ‘Hawks have only met four times previously – all in 1971 – when the two squads split the four contests. Miami last played an SEC school Feb. 24, 2008, falling to Vanderbilt by a run on a neutral field and last played at an SEC member in 2005, taking two of three from Alabama.
The Red and White will then continue on to Florida for its annual spring break trip in Winter Haven from March 8-13 with opponents still to be determined. Miami finally returns home to host its first contest of 2010 March 17 when the Norse of NKU come calling. The RedHawks make a second trip to the state of Alabama the following weekend (March 19-21), however, as they will face Jacksonville State in a three-game set. Miami knocked off the Gamecocks on a neutral field last year in the teams’ first-ever meeting.
"We are very excited about the 2010 non-conference schedule," Simonds said. "I know our players are looking forward to competing against some of the better programs in the country. This schedule should better prepare us for the challenges of Mid-American Conference play."
Eastern Kentucky will serve as the RedHawks’ final tune-up before MAC play begins, as the two sides will play a home-and-home two-game set March 23 and 24. Miami then begins league play March 26, hosting Central Michigan for three games the final weekend of March.
The RedHawks also face local rivals Dayton (home), Xavier (home and away), Indiana (home) and Cincinnati (home and away) in mid-week, non-conference action. Both the Musketeers and Hoosiers, coached by former Miami head coach Tracy Smith, made the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Miami will also host the second-annual Joe Nuxhall Tournament, which will be held April 13-14 with opponents still to be determined.
Other home MAC weekends include three-game series’ with Northern Illinois, Akron, defending MAC Tournament champion and 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Kent State and rival Ohio. The series with Ohio May 20-22 will conclude Miami’s regular season. Should they qualify, the RedHawks would then head to the MAC Tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio May 26-29, where they made the semifinals a year ago.
To see the complete schedule, click here.
Miami will hold its annual Red and White Series from Oct. 2-10 at McKie Field at Hayden Park. The first game of the series is set for Friday, Oct. 2 and tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. The team will also scrimmage Oct. 3, Oct. 8, Oct. 9 and Oct. 10.
