FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
COLUMBUS, Ohio –Ohio State baseball head coach Greg Beals announced the team’s 2012 schedule today. Highlights include the Nick Swisher Field at Bill Davis Stadium opener March 16, the first game of a three-game set against 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier Austin Peay, Big Ten home series against Minnesota and new Big Ten member Nebraska, a three-game series at Georgia Tech and a tournament at Coastal Carolina.
“We put a schedule together that is national caliber,” head coach Greg Beals said. “We wanted to have as much competition in the schedule as we can and competition that is playing in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the year. To get in the NCAA Tournament we need to play teams that have that experience.”
The Buckeyes play their first 14 games on the road, seven in Florida (three at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in St. Petersburg and four at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte), three in Georgia and four in South Carolina. Ohio State opens the season Feb. 17-19 – opponents to be determined – before travelling to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech Feb. 24-26. The Buckeyes then take on Michigan (a non-conference game), Western Michigan (twice) and Chicago State March 2-4 at the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Fla., before travelling to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the Coastal Carolina Tournament March 9-11.
Ohio State opens its home schedule against Austin Peay March 16-18 before hitting the road for single games at Louisville March 20 and Dayton March 21. The Buckeyes commence Big Ten play versus Purdue March 23-25 and take on Michigan State in the first conference road series March 30-April 1.
Ohio State then hosts rival Minnesota April 6-8 and Nebraska will make its first trip to Columbus April 13-15. The Buckeyes make their first trip to Oklahoma State May 8-9 and travel to Indiana for the final Big Ten series of the season May 17-19 before the Big Ten tournament May 23-26 at Huntington Park.
A few notes about the Buckeyes opponents:
Georgia Tech – 42-21; ACC Coastal Division champion, fell to Mississippi State in championship game of Atlanta Regional; head coach Danny Hall was Beals’ coach at Kent State
Coastal Carolina – 42-20; Big South regular season and tournament champion, No. 3 seed in Clemson Regional
Austin Peay – 34-24; Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion, No. 4 seed in Atlanta Regional
Nebraska – 30-25; First year in Big Ten, first-year coach two-time MLB All-Star Darin Erstad
Illinois – 30-27; Big Ten tournament champion, No. 4 seed in Fullerton Regional
2012 Ohio State Baseball Schedule
Oklahoma State – 35-25; 25-7 at home; No. 2 seed in Nashville Regional; Buckeyes hold 4-1 advantage in all-time series, defeating Cowboys twice in 1966 College World Series including an 8-2 win in the championship game; teams split two games last season in Columbus
Non-conference opponents that are still to be determined will be announced at a later date.
