FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Home series against 2012 College World Series participant Florida State and 2012 NCAA Tournament participant Miami, a season-opening trip to Southeastern Conference power LSU and matchups with four more postseason participants highlight the 2013 University of Maryland baseball schedule announced Tuesday by head coach John Szefc.
The 56-game schedule includes 21 contests against teams that reached the 2012 NCAA Baseball Championship. The slate features 33 home games including two four-game series against Oakland and Princeton.
The Terps will face a stiff test to begin the season as they travel to Baton Rouge, La., to face LSU (Feb. 15-17), which won the 2012 SEC regular-season championship and reached the NCAA Super Regionals.
“We are trying to prepare guys to be successful in the NCAA tournament,” said Szefc. “To do that, you have to be put in venues like the ones they will encounter in the NCAA tournament. There is not a better place in the country to accomplish that than LSU.”
Maryland plays its first home games Feb. 22-24 against Summit League member Oakland in a four-game set at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium. The following weekend the Terps play host to Princeton in a four-game series (March 1-3). Both of these series will feature a Saturday doubleheader.
The Terps open their ACC schedule on the road at Virginia (March 8-10) before welcoming Florida State to College Park (March 15-17).
“It’s a challenging schedule,” said Szefc. “Three of the first five weekends are against LSU, Virginia and Florida State. Those are three of the best programs in the country. That’s what guys sign up for when they come to play here.”
In addition to a home series with the Seminoles, Maryland plays host to Wake Forest (March 22-24), Miami (April 12-14), Virginia Tech (April 19-21) and Boston College (May 16-18).
After the trip to Charlottesville, Maryland hits the road for four more conference series. The Terps play at NC State on March 29-31 followed by a series at North Carolina on April 5-7. Maryland closes the month of April at Duke (April 26-28) and concludes its regular-season road schedule at Clemson (May 3-5).
After games with LSU, Oakland and Princeton, the non-conference schedule includes matchups against George Mason, James Madison, Liberty, Mount St. Mary’s, Marist, Rider, Towson and VCU.
