Lynchburg, Va. – The Liberty baseball team will play 25 games against teams which won 30 or more games last season, highlighting the Flames’ 2010 schedule, released today.
The Flames are scheduled to meet George Mason, Elon, Kennesaw State, Duke, Virginia Tech, UNC Wilmington, James Madison, St. John’s, Manhattan, along with Big South members Coastal Carolina and Winthrop, all winners of 30-plus games from a year ago.
“We are looking forward to competing against a very tough schedule in 2010,” stated third-year Liberty head coach Jim Toman. “We are trying to improve our non-conference schedule each year. Highlighting the schedule are games against ACC teams Virginia Tech and Maryland and a home and home series with Duke. A three-game set with one of the BIG EAST’s top teams, St. John’s, and a home and home against regional power Elon are also on the docket. As usual, we will play many of the top in-state schools.”
Toman’s Flames will start the 2010 campaign with seven road games, beginning with a three-game series at Kennesaw State, Feb. 19-21. The series will be the first-ever meeting between the Flames and the Owls on the diamond.
Liberty will then travel to Richmond on Feb. 23 for a midweek contest with VCU and finish the year-opening road trek with three games at the UNC Wilmington Tournament, Feb. 26-28. The Flames will play Morehead State to begin the tournament on Feb. 26, followed by a contest with Lehigh on Feb. 27. Liberty will conclude its weekend in Wilmington, N.C., by squaring off with host UNC Wilmington on Feb. 28.
The Flames will open their 2010 home schedule March 2 against VCU at Worthington Stadium. Liberty is scheduled to play 28 contests at Worthington Stadium.
In addition, the Flames will continue their series with the ACC’s Virginia Tech and Duke. Liberty will also host ACC member Maryland, the first meeting between the Flames and the Terrapins on the diamond since 1992.
The Flames will once again play 27 Big South Conference games in 2010. Liberty will open its Big South slate at UNC Asheville, March 26-28 and conclude it at Winthrop, May 20-22. The Flames will also visit Radford, Presbyterian and Charleston Southern for three-game conference series. Liberty will host High Point, VMI, Gardner-Webb and Coastal Carolina for Big South tilts this season.
The 2009 Big South Baseball Championship will be hosted by Winthrop, May 25-29, at the Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, S.C. The conference champion will receive the Big South’s automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Regional play in the 2010 tournament is scheduled for June 4-7, at sites to be determined.
