FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
OXFORD, Ohio — Games with national powers Mississippi and Miami (Fla.), plus the hosting of the annual Joe Nuxhall Classic, highlight the 2012 Miami RedHawk baseball schedule, head coach Dan Simonds announced today. The slate includes 24 games at McKie Field, potentially the most since 2005, when the Mid-American Conference Tournament was played in Oxford.
The season begins with back-to-back trips to Greenville, S.C. On Feb. 18-20, Miami will face Furman in a conventional three-game series on campus. The following Weekend, the RedHawks participate in the First Pitch Invitational at Fleur Field — home of the South Atlantic League’s Greenville Drive. They face Michigan State on Friday and Sunday and Furman on Saturday.
The annual spring break trip takes on a different flair for 2012, starting with a weekend series at Ole Miss on March 2-4. Miami continues on to Florida to face the Hurricanes of the University of Miami heads on Wednesday, March 7 before playing three opponents to be determined in Port Charlotte March 8-10.
The home slate opens with a five-game stand against Canisius (March 13-14) and Morehead State (March 17-18), while the conference schedule begins at Eastern Michigan on March 23. MAC opponents coming to Oxford in 2012 include Toledo (March 30-April 1), Northern Illinois (April 13-15), Bowling Green (April 20-22) and Akron (May 4-6), the RedHawks travel to face the Eagles, plus Ball State, Buffalo, Kent State and Ohio.
The Joe Nuxhall Classic, featuring local teams Xavier, Wright State and Cincinnati returns to McKie Field this year on April 10-11. The RedHawks match up against the Musketeers in the opening round, while the Bearcats and Raiders also square off. The championship and third-place game follow the next day.
The mid-week schedule includes home-and-home series with Xavier, Dayton, Indiana and Cincinnati, plus an April 4, by Ohio State. The contest will mark the Buckeyes’ first in Oxford since April 24, 1991 and 17th overall in 40 meetings.
