FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
LOS ANGELES – USC baseball has announced the team’s 2014 schedule, which boasts 18 of 53 games coming against seven different teams that made the 2013 NCAA postseason. In addition to the perennially tough Pac-12 slate that includes defending national champion UCLA, this year’s team will face off in nonconference series with 2013 NCAA Regional teams North Dakota State and Cal Poly.
Under the leadership of second-year head coach Dan Hubbs, the Trojans kick things off at Dedeaux Field on Friday, Feb. 14 as they welcome Northwestern for a three-game series. The Trojans open the season playing 10 of their first 11 games at home.
On the schedule, Hubbs said, “We are excited about our schedule, which we think is extremely challenging, playing 18 of our 53 games against 2013 NCAA Regional teams. We are looking forward to hosting Northwestern, North Dakota State and Cal Poly in our nonconference series, along with the annual Dodgertown Classic.”
This year’s Dodgertown Classic is set for the weekend of March 7-9, with the Trojans hosting Houston on Friday, March 7 and Pepperdine on Saturday, March 8, before taking on crosstown rival UCLA in a nonconference game at Dodger Stadium on March 9.
The Trojans will have their hands full with the usual midweek competition, including two games against Super Regional qualifier Cal State Fullerton. They are also set to welcome nontraditional midweek competitors in 2010 College World Series Team Stony Brook (March 18) and Hawai’i (April 22).
In Pac-12 play, the Trojans host key series with Washington (March 28-30), Utah (April 11-13), Arizona (April 17-19) and California (May 9-11). They then close Pac-12 play at home against 2013 College World Series participant Oregon State (May 23-25).
A tough stretch for the Trojans begins on March 14, as they open Pac-12 play on the road, traveling to 2013 Regional qualifier Oregon for a three-game set. The Trojans will return home to host Stony Brook on Tuesday, March 18, before heading back on the road to play Stanford (March 21-23).
Other conference road trips include 2013 Regional participant Arizona State (April 4-6) and Washington State (May 2-4). Always a big series, the Trojans travel to crosstown rival and defending national champion UCLA for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 25.
And you don’t have to wait until February to watch the Trojans, as they will be competing in two fall games in November. On Sunday, Nov. 17, the team will play host to San Diego at 11 a.m. PT. The following week, on Saturday, Nov. 23, the Trojans will travel to Long Beach State for a noon start.
Hubbs concluded, “Our hope is that we can get off to a strong start with an early home schedule before we get into conference play. In addition to our usual Tuesday opponents of Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, Pepperdine, UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount, I am excited to face different opponents in Stony Brook and Hawai’i. Overall I think it is a good strong schedule and I am excited to see how our two fall games prepare us for the start of the season.”
