FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
RADFORD, Va. — Radford has released a 2013 schedule that includes 28 games at RU Baseball Stadium, 10 games against 2012 NCAA Regional participants, and a home series with BIG EAST and Chapel Hill Regional champion St. John’s.
The Highlanders, who are coming off their fourth winning season in a row in 2012, will face a slate of teams that finished with a combined winning record last year. Eight of Radford’s opponents had 34 wins or more and four posted 40-win seasons.
“This may be our most challenging schedule yet,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “The combination of high RPI games, perennial NCAA tournament teams and historically good programs are all throughout this schedule both home and away.
“We definitely have our work cut out to be really successful, but to be a team that’s considered for the postseason, this is the type of schedule we have to play. ACC, Big East, SoCON, Conference USA, Atlantic Sun, Colonial and Big South teams make for an exciting 2013 schedule.”
Radford opens its season with a three-game series at Jacksonville Feb. 15-17, and concludes the scheduled slate with the 2013 Big South Baseball Championships, hosted by Liberty May 21-25.
SCHEDULE NOTES
- Radford’s schedule is heavy on teams ranked highly in the 2012 NCAA Ratings Percentage Index (RPI): eight opponents were in the top 100 and five were ranked in the top 50 (Virginia, St. John’s, Virginia Tech, Charleston, Coastal Carolina)
- The Highlanders travel to Virginia on April 10 – the Cavaliers are the highest-ranked RPI team (No. 14) on Radford’s schedule
- Both Virginia (No. 25) and St. John’s (No. 15) finished in Baseball America’s final Top-25 poll
- Traditional home-and-away matchups continue in 2013 with Virginia Tech, Marshall, James Madison, East Tennessee State and North Carolina A&T
- However, Marshall visits Radford for a three-game series March 22-24
- First-time opponents for Radford include weekend series foes Jacksonville (away), Kennesaw State (away), Iona (home) and St. John’s (home)
- Radford once again plays Liberty in a non-conference game on Feb. 19 at RU Baseball Stadium – it’s the Highlanders’ home opener and would be the earliest home opener in program history
- Following a midweek game at Virginia Tech on Feb. 26, the Highlanders play 15 of the next 17 games at home from March 1-24, including an eight-game homestand from March 15-24
- Radford’s Big South opener is March 15-17 with a three-game home series against VMI – the Highlanders and Keydets did not meet in 2012
- The Big South begins divisional play this season – Radford is a member of the North Division, along with VMI (home), Liberty (away), Longwood (away), High Point (home) and Campbell (away)
- Inter-divisional sets include Winthrop (home), Coastal Carolina (away) and Charleston Southern (home)
- Radford will not face Presbyterian, UNC Asheville or Gardner-Webb this season in Big South play
