FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Manhattan College baseball team is slated for a challenging 54-game 2013 campaign, which features season opening series at southern powers Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast. The two-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Jaspers will also take on members of the Big East in 2013, in addition to a match up with 2012 College World Series participant Stony Brook.
The Jaspers open the season at Florida International (Feb. 22-24), the first of six opponents Manhattan will face that won more than 30 games in 2012. Manhattan will play a three-game series with the Golden Panthers in Miami. Manhattan returns to the Sunshine State the following week for a four-game set in Fort Myers at Florida Gulf Coast (March 1-3).
Manhattan travels to the Steel City from March 8-10 to participate in the Panther Classic hosted by Pittsburgh. The Jaspers play Youngstown State (March 8-9) twice before taking on Pittsburgh (March 9-10) in the final two games of the weekend.
The Jaspers return to the metropolitan area for the next 10 road games, beginning on March 13 when they visit NYIT in Old Westbury, N.Y. Manhattan makes the short trip to South Orange, N.J., for four games as part of the Strikeout Cancer Tournament hosted by Seton Hall.
The MAAC schedule opens for Manhattan at Iona (March 23-24). The Jaspers have a midweek doubleheader at Columbia before packing their bags for a longest conference road trip of the year to Western New York, where they visit Niagara (March 29-30).
Manhattan finishes out its 25-game season-opening road stretch at Hofstra (April 2). The Jaspers return to Van Cortlandt Park for the first time on April 3 to defend the nation’s longest active home win streak (19) taking on Fordham. Manhattan was the only team in NCAA Division I to post an undefeated mark at home (18-0) last season.
The Jaspers enjoy nine of their next 10 games in Riverdale, hosting Marist (April 6-7) for its first league home series. Fairleigh Dickinson comes to Van Cortlandt Park on April 9. Manhattan’s only road game during the two week stretch is at Stony Brook (April 10), the defending America East champions who won 52-games in 2012.
Manhattan continues league play with Rider (April 13-14) at home, and then hosts Hofstra (April 16). The Jaspers return to the road for a meeting with 2012 NCAA Tournament participant Army (April 17).
A rematch of the 2012 MAAC Baseball Championship will take place on April 20-21 when the league’s runner-up Canisius visits Manhattan. NYIT (April 23) and Albany (April 24) round out the five-game homestand.
The Jaspers stay local when they travel to Saint Peter’s (April 27-28) and Fordham (April 30). Manhattan then has a home-and-home series with Lafayette. The Leopards come to Van Cortlandt Park for a doubleheader on May 4. The next day Manhattan travels to Lafayette (May 5) for the third game of the series.
Manhattan takes on Fairfield (May 11-12) for its final home weekend of the year. The Jaspers wrap up the regular-season at Siena (May 16-17).
The 2013 MAAC Championships are scheduled May 23-26 at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. The top four teams in the league qualify for the tournament.
