FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis head baseball coach Darin Hendrickson today announced the Billikens’ 2010 schedule. The slate features a non-conference schedule that includes perennial baseball powers Ohio State, Kansas, Mississippi and Arkansas. In addition, SLU will play a number of regional rivals and a 27-game Atlantic 10 Conference schedule.
"Our schedule features a good balance, which includes top-notch programs from the SEC including College World Series participant Arkansas and super-regional participant Ole Miss," third-year head coach Darin Hendrickson said. "We have also scheduled Midwest powers Kansas, Missouri State, Eastern Illinois and a very good Murray State team. We are also excited about the challenge that awaits us in the A-10. The league’s rotating schedule puts us on the road at three of the top teams in our league while we host last year’s regular-season champion Dayton and tournament champion Xavier. We feel our league has improved, and many teams are scheduling accordingly. This schedule will undoubtedly have us ready for an exciting 2010 season."
The Billikens, who finished 30-25 last season, begin the season Feb. 19 with a trip to Little Rock, Ark., for the Arkansas-Little Rock Tournament. There, the Billikens will face Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Saint Peter’s College and Arkansas-Little Rock. One week later, SLU heads back to Arkansas for a three-game set at Central Arkansas beginning Feb. 26.
SLU’s home opener is set for March 2 at The Billiken Sports Center against Southeast Missouri State. Western Illinois comes to town the following day for a non-conference matchup before the Billikens head to Florida during spring break.
At the Buckeye Tournament in Port Charlotte, Fla., the Billikens battle Fairleigh Dickinson on March 5. SLU then faces Big Ten opponent Ohio State in a double-header March 6. SLU came out with a 4-0 victory against Ohio State in Hendrickson’s first season at the helm in 2008. SLU concludes its stay in Florida with a March 7 non-conference tilt against league-foe Duquesne.
The Bills return home for a March 9 matchup against Western Illinois before hitting the road again for a three-game series at Murray State starting March 12.
One of two season-long four-game homestands begins March 16 and 17 when SLU welcomes Indiana State and Evansville, respectively. The Billikens then host Big 12 foe Kansas at The Billiken Sports Center for single games March 20 and 21. In its final non-conference games before conference play begins, SLU heads to Southeast Missouri State March 23 and travels to Ole Miss March 24. Last season, the Billikens shocked the then-No. 11 Rebels with a thrilling 15-11 victory in Oxford.
Xavier is the first opponent the Billikens face in A-10 play, as the teams begin a three-game set at The BSC March 26. After a home midweek game against Eastern Illinois March 30, SLU heads to Camden, N.J., to face Saint Joseph’s at Campbell’s Field in a three-game series beginning Apr. 1.
Arkansas, which advanced to the College World Series a season ago, hosts the Billikens April 7 in Fayetteville. Saint Louis then returns home for a conference series against Temple. SLU will take a trip across the river to face SIU Edwardsville April 14 before traveling to New York City to battle Fordham in a three-game series starting April 16.
The Billikens’ next two conference series’ takes them to Massachusetts beginning April 23 and hosting St. Bonaventure beginning April 30. Sandwiched between those series’ are non-conference battles against Missouri State (April 20) and SIUE (April 28). In the stretch-run of the schedule, SLU travels to La Salle for a series beginning May 7 before hosting SIUE May 12. The Billikens then travel to face perennial A-10 power Charlotte in a series starting May 14.
In its final regular-season non-conference tilt, SLU faces Southern Illinois March 18 at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., before finishing the regular season with a home series against A-10 foe Dayton.
The 2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Championships, which features the top six teams in the league standings at season’s end, takes place at Campbell’s Field outside of Philadelphia beginning May 26.
