FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of Arizona baseball program, in conjunction with the Pac-12 Conference, has announced the schedule and television information for the upcoming 2014 season.
The 55-game regular season slate includes 38 home games at Hi Corbett Field and 17 away contests. The Wildcats will have an unprecedented 19 television appearances, with 17 airing on the Pac-12 Networks and two broadcasts on ESPNU.
“We have a great home schedule this season,” head coach Andy Lopez said. “Our fans have done a marvelous job supporting us at Hi Corbett these last couple of years, and I think they are going to see some of the best baseball in the nation this season. There are some tremendous coaches, players and championship-caliber programs coming to Tucson.”
Arizona’s home schedule is highlighted by some of the premier collegiate programs. The season kicks off against 2012 College World Series participant Kent State for a three-game series Feb. 14-16. Other non-conference home series are scheduled against Utah Valley (Feb. 18-19), Alcorn State (Feb. 21-23), Seton Hall (Feb. 28-March 2), Long Beach State (March 4-5) and Air Force (March 11-12).
The Wildcats will host a three-day tournament against 2013 College World Series runner-up Mississippi State and 2013 NCAA Tournament participant UC Santa Barbara March 7-9. Hi Corbett Field will host a double-header each day with the schools each playing four games over the weekend.
The non-conference home schedule also includes a tilt with in-state foe Grand Canyon (March 18), which will compete at the Division I level this season in the Western Athletic Conference. The Wildcats will travel to Arizona State twice (March 26 and April 9) for non-conference games.
Pac-12 Conference action begins in earnest against Washington State in Tucson March 14-16. Other home conference series include 2013 College World Series participant Oregon State (March 28-30), defending national champion UCLA (April 11-13), rival Arizona State (April 25-27) and two-time national champ Stanford (May 9-11).
Arizona will travel to Washington (March 21-23), Utah (April 4-6), USC (April 17-19), Oregon (May 2-4) and California (May 16-18) for its five conference road trips.
Due to the unbalanced 11-team league, the Wildcats open weekend during conference plays falls on the final weekend of the regular season. Arizona will host Abilene Christian, a new Division I member in the Southland Conference, for three games May 23-25.
The first televised game for Arizona will be the first non-conference clash with the Sun Devils in Tempe, Ariz., March 26. The game will be broadcast by the Pac-12 Networks.
“The increased exposure with the television games is outstanding,” Lopez said. “It’s a very positive development for our sport, but especially Pac-12 baseball. I’ve been fortunate to coach at several places, including in the SEC, and I truly believe the best baseball in the country is played in the Pac-12. Every week is a grind in our conference and I think the fans will enjoy seeing our programs on television more frequently.”
All three games of the series against Oregon State (March 28-30) will air on the Pac-12 Networks, before a stretch of 12-consecutive televised contests begins in April.
The Pac-12 Networks will air the first and last games of the series against the Bruins, while ESPNU will pick up the middle game on the weekend of April 11-13. A week later, the Pac-12 Networks will televise all three games at USC (April 17-19).
Rivalry weekend in Tucson will also include three televised games. The Pac-12 Networks will show the first two games, before ESPNU broadcasts the series finale on April 27.
Arizona’s following series at Oregon will be played May 2-4 with the entire series airing on the Pac-12 Networks. The final regular season televised games are at California May 16-18, all on the Pac-12 Networks.
The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, May 26. Regional action will be played May 30-June 2, with winners advancing to Super Regionals June 6-9. The College World Series begins June 14 and continues through June 24 or 25 at T.D. Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
Arizona has advanced to the postseason in eight out of the last 11 seasons under Lopez, including the College World Series in the 2004 and 2012 seasons. The Wildcats captured their fourth all-time national championship in 2012.
The complete 2014 schedule can be viewed at www.arizonawildcats.com. Game dates and start times are subject to change. Some start times have yet to be determined.
