FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M baseball team announced its schedule for the 2013 campaign this week, revealing that the Aggies will host 33 home games during their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference.
Coming off a school-record sixth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance, A&M will face 12 teams that advanced to the NCAA Championship last year in 29 games. The tournament-tested slate of opponents includes Pepperdine (3), Prairie View A&M, Cal State Fullerton (3), Dallas Baptist, Ole Miss (3), UT Arlington, South Carolina (3), Sam Houston State (2), Mississippi State (3), Arkansas (3), Missouri (3), and LSU (3). The Aggies could potentially play Rice, Baylor and North Carolina at the Houston College Classic which would add to the number of games vs. 2012 postseason teams.
In addition, the Aggies’ opponents have combined to appear in the College World Series 76 times with 14 National Championships, five of those since 2000 (LSU ’00, Fullerton ’04, LSU ’09, South Carolina ’10 and ’11).
“This, is without a doubt, one of the most challenging schedules in the nation,” Texas A&M head coach Rob Childress said. “The SEC schedule has 10 weekend series against teams that can make deep runs in the postseason. You add in the Houston College Classic and series against Cal State Fullerton and Pepperdine, who both made it to regionals last year, and fans have to be excited about what they will have an opportunity to see this year both at Blue Bell Park and on the road.”
The Aggies begin the 2013 campaign with a 10-game home stand, featuring the season-opening three-game series against Illinois-Chicago (Feb. 15-17) and a three-game series versus Pepperdine (Feb. 22-24).
A&M’s first road trip takes them to Minute Maid Park to compete in the Houston College Classic (March 1-3). Opponents are not set for the tournament at this time, but the other five teams competing include Rice, Houston, Baylor, North Carolina and California.
The following weekend, the Aggies head west for a weekend series at Cal State Fullerton (March 8-10).
Texas A&M plays SEC home series against Georgia, Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri and LSU. The Aggies trek to Ole Miss, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee for SEC road series.
The Maroon and White look to improve on their 111-78-3 (.578) all-time record against teams from the SEC.
Georgia travels to Aggieland on March 15-17 as Texas A&M plays its first conference series. This matchup is the first-ever meeting between the new conference rivals.
Texas A&M’s first conference road series takes them to Oxford to take on Ole Miss (March 22-24), who defeated the Aggies in the 2012 NCAA College Station Regional. The Aggies are 4-2 all-time against Mississippi.
Over Easter weekend, the Aggies travel to Columbia to take on South Carolina. The Gamecocks have won two of the last three CWS and defeated A&M in the only prior meeting, two years ago in Omaha.
Texas A&M returns to College Station for an eight-game home stand which features league matchups against Auburn (April 5-7) and Mississippi State (April 12-14). The Aggies have never faced Auburn and hold an 8-6 series lead over Mississippi State.
The Maroon and White travel to Fayetteville to battle long-time rival Arkansas (April 19-21), which advanced to the CWS last season. A&M owns a 38-29-1 record over the Razorbacks.
The Aggies travel to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama (April 26-28) in a three-game set. A&M owns a 3-0 record over the Crimson Tide with the last meeting coming in 2003.
In what was a wild and entertaining series a season ago, the Aggies take on long-time Big 12 rival and new SEC foe Missouri at Blue Bell Park on May 3-5.
In the final home weekend series, Texas A&M faces LSU (May 10-12). The Tigers won the 2009 CWS title and hosted a Super Regional last season. The Aggies own a 15-12-1 record all-time against the Tigers.
The Aggies wrap up the regular season with a three-game road series at Tennessee (May 17-19). Texas A&M won the lone matchup between these two teams with a 10-1 victory in 2005.
Hoover, Ala., will host the SEC Tournament for the 16th consecutive season. Dates for the league championship at Regions Park are currently set for May 21-26.
Texas A&M will play home mid-week games against Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 19), Texas Southern (Feb. 20), Northwestern State (Feb. 26-27), Prairie View A&M (March 5), Houston Baptist (March 12), Dallas Baptist (March 19), UT Arlington (March 26), UTSA (Apr. 2), Sam Houston State (April 9), Grambling State (April 30) and UT Pan American (May 14).
The Aggies hit the road for a pair of mid-week games, facing Sam Houston State (April 16) and Texas State (April 23).
NCAA Regional games are slated for May 31-June 3 before Super Regionals take place the weekend of June 7-10. College baseball’s national champion will be crowned in Omaha during the College World Series on June 15-26.
Full 2013 Texas A&M Schedule (PDF)
