FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle University head baseball coach Donny Harrel has finalized the 2011 competition schedule for the baseball team, which includes 32 home games against teams from conferences such as the Pac-10, WAC, Big East, WCC, and Mountain West, as well as 24 road contests against some of the top teams in the country.
“As an independent, we are very fortunate to have as many home games as we do. We put a lot of pressure on our guys last year with our strength of schedule and will test them again this season. We feel as an organization that if we want to compete for a conference title some day and make the NCAA tourney, we need to play good teams. This schedule exemplifies that,” said Harrel.
After a four-game series at Cal State Northridge Feb. 18-20 to start the season, Seattle U welcomes Notre Dame for a three-game series, beginning with a Friday night contest at Everett Memorial Stadium Feb. 25, followed by single games at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue Feb. 26 and 27. The Redhawks continue the opening homestand with a single game against Pacific Lutheran March 1 and a three-game series against the University of Portland March 4-5.
Seattle University heads to Husky Ballpark for the first of four games against the University of Washington March 8, with Saint Martin’s University making the trip to Bannerwood the next day. San Jose State comes to town for a four-game series March 18-20, and then the Redhawks head to Oregon for spring break, with two games in Corvallis against Oregon State March 22-23 and two games at Portland March 25-26.
A single game against the University of Nevada at Bannerwood Park March 28 is followed by a home series against Sacramento State April 1-3 and a game against Washington April 5, the first of three straight Tuesday contests against the Huskies. The Redhawks head to Reno, Nev., for three games against the Wolf Pack April 8-10, and then it is back home for another game against Washington April 12 and two games against Central Washington April 15-16.
Seattle U travels across town for the final game of the season against Washington April 19, and then heads south to face top independent Dallas Baptist in a three-game series April 21-23. Back at Bannerwood Park, the Redhawks host Puget Sound April 26 before New Mexico State rolls into town for a weekend set April 28-30.
The Redhawks head to Utah to start the month of May, beginning with a single game at Utah Valley May 4 and continuing with a three-game series at BYU May 5-7. The final homestand of the season starts in Tacoma, as Seattle U will host the University of Oregon at the refurbished Cheney Stadium May 10 at 6 p.m.
The Ducks come up to Bannerwood Park for the second game of the series May 11, followed by Pacific for a three-game series May 13-15. NAIA power Lewis-Clark State will provide the opposition for the final home game of the 2011 campaign May 17, and Seattle U will end the season with a road trip to Moraga, Calif., for four games against Saint Mary’s. Due to graduation ceremonies on May 21, the teams will play doubleheaders Friday, May 20, and Sunday, May 22.
Seattle University returns 18 letterwinners from the 2010 squad that earned home victories over BYU, Saint Mary’s, Dallas Baptist, and Utah Valley and road wins at Oregon, Portland, and Pacific, as well as against Creighton at historic Rosenblatt Stadium.
