The Liberty baseball team has released its 2011 schedule, which includes 11 games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams and 27 home contests.
The Flames are coming off one of the best seasons in the history of the program, posting a school-record 42 wins in 2010.
Liberty will open its fourth season under head coach Jim Toman with a four-game series at Mercer in Macon, Ga., on Feb. 18. The Bears won the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season.
The Flames’ home opener will be March 4 versus Binghamton. First pitch of the three-game weekend series is set to begin at 3 p.m. at Worthington Stadium.
The schedule also includes a home and home series with ACC member and 2010 NCAA participant Virginia Tech (Mar. 2 & Mar. 22), a two-game series at ACC member Maryland (Mar. 15-16) and a three- game series at 2010 NCAA Super Regional participant Coastal Carolina (Apr. 1-3). In addition, a home-and-home series with 2010 NCAA participant VCU (Mar. 29 & May 17) is slated.
Liberty will also travel to East Carolina for the Keith LeClair Classic, March 11-13, and host its own three-team tournament at Worthington Stadium, April 29 – May 1. The Keith LeClair Classic will feature games against Rutgers, Monmouth and East Carolina, while the Liberty Tournament will include LeMoyne and New Orleans.
The Flames’ road schedule will include non-conference games against Mercer, North Florida, Virginia Tech, Maryland, VCU, James Madison and William & Mary, along with Big South series at Coastal Carolina, High Point, VMI and Gardner-Webb.
Liberty’s home slate includes non-conference opponents Binghamton, William & Mary, Virginia Tech, James Madison, New Orleans, LeMoyne and VCU, along with Big South series with Charleston Southern, Winthrop, Presbyterian, UNC Asheville and Radford.
The 2011 Big South Baseball Championship will be hosted by VMI, May 24-29, at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va. The conference champion will receive the Big South’s automatic bid to the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Regional play in the 2011 NCAA Tournament is scheduled for June 3-6, at sites to be determined.
