FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Three home tournaments, games against seven 2010 NCAA participants including College World Series Champion South Carolina and 30 Southern Conference contests highlight the College of Charleston’s 2011 schedule.
“I’m excited about our 2011 schedule,” said Head Coach Monte Lee, in his third year with the Cougars. “We have 36 home games this year which is great, and some very good clubs coming to play here. We have Kentucky and Auburn coming from the SEC early in the year, along with a top 25 program in Connecticut, and 2009 College World Series participant Southern Mississippi.”
The Cougars open the season Feb. 18 with Kentucky, which they last faced in 2006, coming away with the 7-4 victory to win the NCAA Lexington Regional, their first regional win in school history. The game with the Wildcats is part of the first of three tournaments Charleston is hosting. The Cougars also host Miami (OH), and Marshall in that tournament which runs Feb. 18-20. The Cougars then host 2010 NCAA Tournament participant and top-20th ranked Auburn, New York Tech and Western Kentucky in the second tournament, Mar. 4-6.
In Charleston’s third tournament, scheduled for Mar. 18-20, the Cougars host Rhode Island, Southern Mississippi, which played in the 2009 CWS, and Connecticut, which finished the 2010 season ranked in the top 30 in the country and saw action in the NCAAs as well.
In all, Charleston will play its first 13 of 14 games at home. The Cougars will host a total of 36 games at Patriots Point Stadium, including Southern Conference contests against Georgia Southern, Western Carolina, Furman, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State.
“I believe this schedule will prepare us for an always competitive Southern Conference. We also play the defending National Champion South Carolina Gamecocks home and home, host Coastal Carolina, and play UNC-Wilmington. We have put together an exciting schedule full of regional caliber clubs.”
In other non-conference action, Charleston hosts a three-game series with Youngstown State and has home-and home contests with Jacksonville, UNC Wilmington, USC Upstate, Charleston Southern and the Gamecocks.
The Cougars will host Coastal Carolina, Ball State and Presbyterian in single games, as well as a non-conference tilt against The Citadel.
In SoCon action, Charleston will travel across town to Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Park to take on The Citadel, and then travel to Davidson, Elon, Wofford and Samford.
