FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
ATHENS-The Georgia Bulldog baseball team annually plays one of the nation’s toughest schedules, and 2011 will be no different considering five opponents made the College World Series last season.
Georgia travels to defending national champion South Carolina, faces CWS finalist UCLA in California, welcomes Florida State and Florida to Foley Field and plays a home-and-home set with Clemson.
The college baseball season begins Feb. 18, and the Bulldogs will open on the road against Stetson. Furman will serve as the home opener at Foley Field on Wednesday, Feb. 23 followed by a three-game set against Baylor. Georgia will begin March with a return game against the Paladins in Greenville on March 2. The Bulldogs have a three-game series at Foley Field with the Seminoles March 4-6. The rest of the March highlights include a non-conference game with Alabama on March 9 in Lawrenceville at Coolray Field, home of the Gwinnett Braves, plus a West Coast trip.
From March 11-13, Georgia will head west to face UCLA, USC and Saint Mary’s College. The games with the Bruins and Trojans will be played on their campuses while the Saint Mary’s contest is slated for Dodger Stadium.
Southeastern Conference action begins March 18-20, and the Bulldogs will open up with the Gamecocks in Columbia. Georgia Tech visits Foley Field on March 22 followed by LSU March 25-27. The rest of the SEC teams coming to Athens in 2011 will be Mississippi State (April 1-3), Florida (April 15-17), Arkansas (April 29-May 1) and Vanderbilt (May 19-21). The Georgia Tech game at Turner Field will be April 26.
“This is the most challenging schedule we’ve played, and we’ll find out what we are made of early in the season,” said Georgia coach David Perno who has led the Bulldogs to the College World Series three times in his nine seasons. “It’s very demanding and features some great matchups for our fans. Our team will be prepared once we start the SEC season. I think this year’s team will respond to this challenge.”
Georgia has 22 returning lettermen including seven starting position players and 11 pitchers who saw action last season. The lineup will feature junior outfielder Zach Cone, who led the 2010 team with a .363 batting average, 10 home runs and 53 RBI. Junior right-hander Michael Palazzone, who went 4-6 in 61.1 innings including 13 starts last year, will anchor the rotation.
