Miami (FL) releases 2011 Schedule

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FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Coral Gables, Fla. – Under the direction of Jim Morris, now entering into his 18th year at the helm in Coral Gables, the University of Miami baseball program released its 2011 schedule on Tues., Nov. 23, highlighted by home series weekends against Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Returning 18 letterwinners from last season’s team that finished 43-20 overall (20-11 Atlantic Coast Conference) and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals in Gainesville, Fla., the Hurricanes will play 56 games in 2011, including an exhibition game against the Florida Marlins on Sun., Feb. 27, in Jupiter, Fla.

UM will play 34 games inside Alex Rodriguez Park, while playing a total of 40 games in the Sunshine State of Florida.

The `Canes open the 2011 campaign playing 12 of their first 18 games at home. The season begins for the second consecutive year with a three-game homestand against Rutgers (Feb. 18-20), before traveling to Boca Raton to face Florida Atlantic on Wed., Feb. 23. Miami will then return home for a weekend series with Appalachian State (Feb. 24-26).

Miami’s first road series will be in Gainesville where they will take on the Florida Gators, Mar. 4-6. The next seven games will be at Alex Rodriguez Park, including an Atlantic Coast Conference series against Virginia Tech, Mar. 11-13. Prior to that, UM will face Illinois State (Mar. 8-9), and finish the homestand with FAU (Tues., Mar. 15).

The Hurricanes’ first conference road series will be at Wake Forest, Mar. 18-20. UM returns to Coral Gables for a pair of mid-week games against in-state foes UCF (Tues., Mar. 22) and Florida Gulf Coast (Wed., Mar. 23). The weekend is highlighted by a visit from ACC opponent Georgia Tech, Mar. 25-27. The six-game home stretch concludes with Florida Gulf Coast on Tues., Mar. 29.

Miami will take on ACC opponent Boston College in its next series, traveling to Chestnut Hill, Mass., Apr. 1-3. UM visits FGCU on Wed., Apr. 6, before playing host to ACC opponent NC State (Apr. 8-10) in its next home series. Local opponent Barry University visits Alex Rodriguez Park on Wed., Apr. 13.

The month of April rounds out with a trip to Maryland (Apr. 15-17); at home against Bethune-Cookman (Apr. 20); at the University of North Carolina (Apr. 22-24); and finally at home to face USF (Apr. 27). A much-anticipated visit from in-state opponent and ACC foe Florida State ends the month and begins May (Apr. 29-May 1).

Miami steps out of conference play for its next home series against Hofstra (May 6-8), before traveling to the University of Virginia for a conference series against the Cavaliers (May 13-15). UM will end the year at home with FAU (Tues., May 17) and Duke (May 19-21).

The 2011 ACC Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 25-29 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, N.C. NCAA Regionals begin at on-campus sites on June 3 running through June 5. Super Regionals will be held June 10-12, followed by the College World Series on Omaha, Neb., on June 18-29.

Prior to the season-opener against Rutgers, the team will hold three of its biggest annual events – the preseason banquet, the alumni game and golf tournament – all in the same weekend. The weekend kicks off with the banquet on Fri., Feb. 11, followed by the alumni game on Sat., Feb. 12 and the team’s golf tournament on Mon., Feb. 14.

Back for the Hurricanes this season are five of the team’s eight top performers at the plate from a season ago. Senior outfielder Chris Pelaez (Miami, Fla.) is the leading batter returning from 2010 where he registered a .314 average – second overall on the team, as well as junior outfielder Nathan Melendres (Miami, Fla.) who finished the year batting .301. Junior third baseman Harold Martinez (Miami, Fla.) led the team in homeruns (21) and finished third in hits (71). Sophomores Stephen Perez (Miami, Fla.) and Zeke DeVoss (Mims, Fla.) are also back for the `Canes.

Pitchers Daniel Miranda (Miami, Fla.) and Eric Whaley (Pompano Beach, Fla.) headline the pitching staff back for the `Canes.

For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes baseball program.

You can also keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball.

Full 2011 Schedule (PDF)