FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.–Bakersfield head baseball coach Bill Kernen announced the 2014 Roadrunner schedule Dec. 9.
The Roadrunners begin the campaign with a three-game series against the defending Horizon League Champion, UW-Milwaukee Feb. 14-16. The ‘Runners will play five teams; UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 18, May 6), Towson University (Feb. 21-23), Cal Poly (Apr. 1, Apr. 15), Oklahoma (away, Apr. 4-6), and Kansas State (away, Apr. 22-23) that made the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The Sooners and the Wildcats were Super Regional participants.
Other non-conference foes include Fresno State, UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge, Portland, and Gonzaga. The 2013 Western Athletic Conference co-regular season champion, Bakersfield will begin the program’s second season in the WAC with a series at home against Grand Canyon Mar. 14-16.
The WAC Tournament returns to Mesa, Arizona at the new Chicago Cubs complex May 21-25. The top six teams in the league qualify for the tournament.
“The 2014 schedule was constructed to do two things,” Kernen said. “First it is to provide a diverse cross-section of teams and conferences from coast to coast and second, it will create a format that will prepare us for post-season play. This includes a very difficult road series versus Oklahoma, an elite program in a tough environment. This is placed mid-season to give us a read on where we are as a team compared to top 20 program on the road. From there, we will focus on the WAC schedule and compete to finish in the top six to be able to play in the WAC tournament.”
