FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball head coach Scott Googins has announced the upcoming 2013 schedule for the Musketeers. There are 57 games on the schedule, including 24 Atlantic 10 games.
Xavier opens the season on the road at College of Charleston with a three-game series from Feb. 15-17. The Musketeers will play a total 10 road games before opening its home portion of the schedule on March 5 against Miami (Ohio).
Due to the inclement weather prone around Cincinnati during the start of the baseball season, Xavier typically plays an unbalanced home/away schedule. This season XU will play 38 games at road or neutral sites and only 19 at home on Hayden Field.
The non-conference slate is highlighted by trips to Kentucky (March 6) for a midweek game and Louisville (March 15-17) for a weekend series. Kentucky finished the season ranked 12th in both the USA Today Coach’s Poll and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Poll. The Cardinals ended 2012 ranked 25th in both polls.
Xavier is competing in the Joe Nuxhall Classic on April 9th and 10th. Named in honor of former Reds-great and Hall-of-Fame pitcher Joe Nuxhall, the tournament has been held for each of the past four years and features Xavier, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio) and Wright State.
A two-game home-and-home series with crosstown-rival Cincinnati will be played May 7-8. The Musketeers will host the Bearcats on Tuesday, May 7 and XU will make the short trek to UC on Wednesday, May 8.
Conference play for the Musketeers begins with a three-game series at St. Bonaventure from March 22-24. Xavier also plays on the road against Saint Louis (March 29-31), Saint Joseph’s (May 3-5) and Butler (May 16-18). XU will host A-10-foes Dayton (April 5-7), Charlotte (April 20-23), Rhode Island (April 26-28) and UMass (May 10-12).
The A-10 Conference Tournament will be hosted by Charlotte and played from May 22-25. All games will be held at the Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Xavier returns the majority of a team that posted a 28-28 record, including a 13-11 mark and seventh-place finish in the A-10. The Musketeers have to fill the holes left by Seth Willoughby, who was drafted by the Colorado Rockies, and Nathan Mutsch.
Returning outfielder Mark Elwell, who led the team with a .329 batting average in 2012, and A-10 All-Rookie-pitcher Alex Westrick highlight the roster. In total, six players who hit above .270 during the 2012 season will be back in the lineup for the Musketeers in 2013.
