FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
ELON, N.C. — Coming off of a season in which it won the Southern Conference Tournament and reached an NCAA Regional final, the Elon University baseball program has announced the 56-game schedule that the Phoenix will face this spring. The 2014 slate will include 33 dates at Latham Park, while the maroon and gold will play 10 games against teams that participated in the NCAA tournament a year ago. Season tickets are also now available for purchase.
Season tickets can be purchased online at elonphoenix.com, or by calling the ticket office at 336-278-6750. For the 2014 slate, season tickets are available for adults for $75, while youth (12 and under) tickets will cost $30. For those who purchase their 2014 tickets by January 10, adult prices will be just $65. All adult season ticket orders will also come with a t-shirt.
New this year is a Family Four Package of season tickets. For just $175, fans can purchase a package which includes two adult and two youth tickets as well as t-shirts for all four ticket holders.
Individual game tickets will cost $5 for adults and $3 for youth 12 and under for most games. Tickets for games against NC State, UNC Wilmington, Wake Forest, Coastal Carolina and North Carolina will sell for $7 for adults and $5 for youth.
“We are excited about the challenges this schedule presents,” said head coach Mike Kennedy. “Our staff and players will have to work and prepare at a high level in order to obtain success. College baseball is in a great place with so many programs competing at a high level and we continue to play a very competitive schedule that mirrors that. Our 2014 schedule will be no different. I’m also excited about the home slate and the number of opportunities Phoenix fans will have to see quality baseball.”
Elon’s 2014 campaign will open with an eight-game homestand that starts on Friday, Feb. 14 with a 4 p.m. game against Cincinnati. The Phoenix and Bearcats will meet again on Saturday and Sunday to conclude the opening weekend of action.
The remainder of the homestand will see the Phoenix host College World Series participant NC State (Feb. 18) and Wagner (Feb. 21-23) before concluding with a rematch of two games from the 2013 Charlottesville Regional as UNC Wilmington visits Latham Park (Feb. 25).
Following a road game at North Carolina A&T (Feb. 26), the maroon and gold returns to Latham Park where it will welcome in Gardner-Webb, High Point and Saint Joseph’s for the Elon Invitational (Feb. 28-March 2). In the tournament, Elon will face Saint Joseph’s on Friday, High Point on Saturday and Gardner-Webb on Sunday.
The Phoenix will then make the short trip down I-85 to take on High Point on March 4 before heading to Myrtle Beach, S.C., where it will participate in the Chanticleer Classic (March 7-9). Elon will play four games in Myrtle Beach beginning with a bout with Minnesota at 1:30 p.m. on March 7. The following day, the Phoenix will take on Maryland Baltimore County and host Coastal Carolina before concluding the weekend with a second tilt against UMBC.
After hosting Liberty on March 11, Elon will open up its final season of Southern Conference action by welcoming Georgia Southern to Latham Park for a three-game set March 14-16. In fact, the maroon and gold will host each of its first three SoCon series as Western Carolina (March 21-23) and The Citadel (March 28-30) also visit Elon.
On March 19, Elon will travel to Raleigh, N.C., to complete the season series against NC State. Elon will play back-to-back days against another ACC foe when it takes on Wake Forest on March 25-26. The Phoenix will visit the Demon Deacons in the opener and play host to them in the finale.
April will begin with two home dates as North Carolina A&T comes to Latham Park on April 1 and Campbell comes in on April 2.
Elon will then begin a stretch where it plays 11 of its next 15 games away from home. That period begins with a three-game league series at Samford (April 4-6). After hosting High Point on April 9, the maroon and gold hits the road for Spartanburg, S.C., and a SoCon series at Wofford (April 11-13) and a single game at CWS participant North Carolina (April 16). The only three other home games during this stretch come April 18-20 when the Phoenix hosts Appalachian State. A single game at UNC Wilmington (April 22) and a SoCon series at UNCG (April 25-27) end the 15-game portion of the schedule.
The Phoenix will then host its final five home games of the 2014 season, beginning with a visit from Coastal Carolina on April 29. The final home SoCon series will be held May 2-4 against Davidson before the home portion of the schedule comes to a close against North Carolina on May 7.
Elon final four regular-season dates will come on the road. The maroon and gold will take on Furman (May 9-11) in its final Southern Conference series before heading to Lynchburg, Va., for a date with Liberty on May 13.
The 2014 Southern Conference Tournament will be held May 21-25 at Joseph P. Riley Park in Charleston, S.C.
