FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Hempstead, NY – Six 2010 NCAA Tournament teams, including Miami (FL) and College World Series participant Florida State, highlight the 2011 Hofstra University Baseball schedule, which was announced today by Head Coach Patrick Anderson.
The Pride’s non-conference slate features 21 games against 11 opponents, who combined to post 345 wins last year. “Our non-conference schedule is challenging,” said Coach Anderson. “But we want to challenge our players and help them get better by facing the best competition we can.”
Hofstra opens the season February 18 with a three game series at Florida Atlantic, which earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last season and is ranked 36th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Poll. The Pride return to Florida a week later to take on perennial power Florida State (Feb. 25-27) in a three-game set. The Seminoles, who are ranked 13th in the preseason, won 48 games a season ago and advanced to the College World Series. The Pride will also make a late season (May 6-8) trip to Coral Gables, Florida, for their first-ever meeting with the Hurricanes of Miami who are coming off a 43-win campaign and an NCAA appearance. Miami is ranked 18th in the preseason poll.
The Pride will also face NCAA Tournament teams Rider (March 15) and St. John’s (April 13) at University Field. Rider won 31 games last season, while the Red Storm had 43 wins and are ranked 26th in the preseason poll. Hofstra will also host a 30-win Marist team (March 30), as well as Albany (April 6) and New York Tech (April 20). Other non-conference road games feature a pair of doubleheaders at Norfolk State (March 5-6) and single games at Manhattan (March 23), New York Tech (April 5) and Long Island University (May 4).
The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) slate features a road series at 2010 champion and NCAA participant Virginia Commonwealth (May 12-14). The Pride will open league play March 11-13 at James Madison and will also play road series’ at William and Mary (April 1-3), Northeastern (April 8-10) and Georgia State (April 29-May 1). The Pride host conference foes Delaware (March 18-20), Towson (March 25-27), George Mason (April 15-17), UNC Wilmington (April 22-24) and Old Dominion (May 20-21).
“Our league is very competitive and there are no easy games on the schedule,” said Anderson. “I am pleased that we play five series’ at home where we won 13 games last year. We stayed in contention for a playoff spot until late last season and I hope that we can take that next step this year.”
Hofstra is coming off a 20-28-1 season and a 10-14 CAA mark. The team returns 17 players, including CAA All-Rookie shortstop Matt Ford, and welcomes 16 newcomers.
The four-team CAA Championship is set for May 26-28 at UNC Wilmington.
