FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Coming off the program’s first appearance in the College World Series as well as an ACC Championship, the Virginia baseball team will face a challenging slate for the 2010 season, with 27 games against 2009 NCAA Tournament teams. The schedule for 2010 was announced today by Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor.
Eleven participants in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including Super Regional qualifiers Clemson, East Carolina, Florida State and North Carolina, dot the Cavaliers’ 56-game regular-season schedule. Thirty-six games will be against teams that won at least 30 games in 2009.
"Our players and coaches are very excited about the upcoming season," O’Connor said. "The early part of our schedule will be challenging. The first three weekends, we play seven games against teams who played in the 2009 NCAA Regionals. This does not include Rhode Island, who has a very good ballclub and was an NCAA bubble team last year. During the middle of the week throughout the schedule, we play the top in-state and regional teams. As always, we have 30 ACC games which will make for a lot of exciting games for our fans. We need fan support in all 35 of our home games to make 2010 a successful season."
The Cavaliers will be challenged early and often. UVa opens its 2010 slate Feb. 19-21 with a three-game weekend series in Greenville, N.C., against East Carolina, which was a Super Regional qualifier last season. Virginia kicks off its 35-game home schedule Feb. 24 with George Washington, then welcomes Rhode Island for a three-game weekend series Feb. 26-28.
The following weekend, the Cavaliers will entertain a pair of 2009 NCAA Tournament teams, Wright State and Dartmouth, for a round-robin tournament. UVa will open ACC play the next weekend (March 12-14) at Florida State, which also was a Super Regional participant last year.
UVa will play its first home ACC series March 19-21 against Boston College, which was an NCAA tournament qualifier in 2009. The Cavaliers have a strong home ACC schedule with Clemson (March 26-28), Georgia Tech (April 9-11), Virginia Tech (April 16-18) and North Carolina (May 14-16) also scheduled to visit Davenport Field. The Tigers, Yellow Jackets and Tar Heels all were NCAA tournament qualifiers last year, with Clemson reaching the Super Regionals and North Carolina advancing to the College World Series.
Clemson, which rotates back onto the schedule this year after a two-year break, will be playing in Charlottesville for the first time since 2006. Wake Forest rotates off the UVa schedule this year.
In addition to the FSU series, Virginia is scheduled to travel to NC State (April 2-4), Maryland (April 23-25), Duke (April 30-May 2) and Miami (May 20-22) this season in ACC play. The Hurricanes also qualified for the NCAA tournament last season.
In non-conference play, Virginia will play three home-and-home series with in-state foes. The Cavaliers will play host to James Madison March 2, then will travel to Harrisonburg to face the Dukes on March 17. UVa will visit William and Mary March 10, with the Tribe returning to Charlottesville on March 16. The Cavaliers also will travel to VMI on April 10, with the Keydets coming to Charlottesville on May 18.
Virginia also will play non-conference games against Marshall (March 23), Towson (March 30-31), Radford (April 7), Richmond (April 20), George Mason (April 21), Coastal Carolina (April 27), Georgetown (April 28) and VCU (May 4). George Mason and Coastal Carolina each qualified for the NCAA tournament this past season.
The 2010 ACC Baseball Tournament will be contested May 26-30 at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, N.C. The stadium is home to the Greensboro Grasshoppers, a single-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins. UVa is the defending champion of the event.
General Admission season tickets for the 2010 season will go on sale on Oct. 15. General Admission season tickets are available for grandstand seating as well as seating on the grassy hillside and the left-field bleachers. Prices for General Admission season tickets are $100 for adults and $75 for youth (18 and under), seniors (60 and over), current UVa faculty and staff. Fans may purchase tickets online at VirginiaSports.com or by calling the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 542-8821. Fans may also order in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
2009 season ticket holders will receive an application to renew their order for the 2010 season by mid-October. The priority deadline for season ticket renewal is Dec. 4.
A payment plan will be available for season tickets this year. Balances for customers renewing by the early renewal deadline of Nov. 12 will be split into three payments, to be charged in early December, January and February.
The Pick 10 Mini Package is also available and will go on sale Jan. 11. Fans can purchase General Admission seating for any 10 games of their choice for just $40 per seat. Single-game tickets and Family Day packages will go on sale in early February.
As in previous years, the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office will accept Reserved season ticket wait list requests. Should Reserved seats not be renewed, ticket holders from this wait list will be contacted in Virginia Athletics Foundation priority point order with the opportunity to purchase these seats.
