FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy baseball head coach Paul Kostacopoulos has announced the 2013 schedule. A season-opening series at Norfolk State, a return to the annual Freedom Classic in Kinston, N.C., and a trip to Florida for the RussMatt Invitational highlight Navy’s non-conference schedule. The Mids will play a total of 20 games in Annapolis, including two weekend homestands against Patriot League opponents.
Navy will travel to Norfolk State to open the season for a three-game set, Feb. 15-17. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the programs.
The Mids’ home opener will be Feb. 20 against Coppin State, a team Navy defeated in both meetings last season. Navy will make a return trip to Coppin State on April 10.
Navy and Air Force will renew their rivalry at the third-annual Freedom Classic in Kinston, N.C., Feb. 22-24. The teams will play single games on Friday and Sunday and a doubleheader on Saturday at Grainger Stadium. Navy is 3-3 against the Falcons in the Freedom Classic.
The Mids will open the month of March with a four-game set against Central Connecticut State at Max Bishop Stadium. Navy and CCSU have met every year in Annapolis since 2006 and the Midshipmen hold a 10-7 all-time series advantage.
After traveling to George Mason on March 6, Navy will head to Florida for the third consecutive year to take part in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, March 10-16. The annual invitational is one of the nation’s largest as it attracts over 200 college teams. The schedule for the RussMatt Invitational is expected to be finalized by mid-February.
Upon returning from Florida, Navy will begin a season-long, six-game homestand on March 20 against Delaware State. The Mids will host Princeton in a four-game series from March 22-24 and play its final non-conference tune-up on March 27 against Maryland Eastern Shore.
Navy will open Patriot League play on the road against rival Army. This year’s series will take place on Sunday, March 31 and Monday, April 1 at West Point. The Midshipmen lead the overall series with the Black Knights, 106-101.
The Mids will make a trip to Towson on April 3 before hosting Bucknell April 6-7 in the first of two home conference series in 2013. Navy and Bucknell split last season’s series in Lewisburg, Pa.
Navy will face Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., April 13-14 in its third conference series of the season. Upon returning home, Navy will complete its season series with Maryland Eastern Shore with a trip to Princess Anne on April 16.
In its final home series of the season, Navy will host Lafayette, April 20-21. The Midshipmen swept the Leopards on the road last season.
Navy’s last non-conference road game will take place April 24 at Delaware State before wrapping up Patriot League regular-season play at Lehigh, April 27-28. The Mids and Mountain Hawks split last season’s series.
The Mids’ final regular-season game will take place at home on May 1 against George Washington.
The Patriot League Championship is scheduled to begin the weekend of May 11-12. The conference’s top-four teams qualify for the tournament, with the top-two seeds hosting the lower-two seeds in a best-of-three semifinal series. The two advancing teams will meet at the higher remaining seed on May 18-19 in a best-of-three championship series.
