OXFORD, Ohio – Miami University head baseball coach Danny Hayden announced the team’s 2016 schedule Monday, his third campaign atop the RedHawk baseball program. The slate features 16 games at McKie Field at Hayden Park, as well as 40 contests on the road.
“We are excited any time there is a field and another team to play,” said Hayden. “It does not matter if we are at home, on the road or who we are playing. We show up with the intention to win baseball games.”
In terms of on the road, the Red & White will play their first 10 games away from Oxford. The schedule features three-game sets against Campbell (Feb. 19-21), the Mule Mix Tournament (Feb. 26-28) and Tennessee Tech (March 4-6). The tenth road game comprises the first half of a home-and-home with Dayton (March 8), meaning the team’s home opener will be on Wednesday, March 9.
The RedHawks jump back on the road after their Oxford premiere as they head to Winthrop (March 11-13), Cincinnati (March 15), Xavier (March 16) and Richmond (March 18-20).
“We will be playing tough non-conference games and some ranked opponents to get ourselves ready for MAC play,” said Hayden. “There’s a lot of parity in our conference and having a more difficult non-conference schedule provides us with a good measuring stick for what we need to do in order to be successful in our league.”
After two weeks away from their home field, the ‘Hawks return to host Northwestern (March 23) and Ball State (March 25-27), marking the inaugural weekend of Mid-American Conference action. The Red & White travel to a midweek contest at Morehead State (March 29) before embarking on their first road conference series of the year at Northern Illinois (April 1-3).
The following week features a home-and-home with Northern Kentucky (April 5-6), the second game of which will be at Hayden Park. The weekend slate features a home series against Bowling Green (April 8-10).
The RedHawks then have the opportunity to host the 2016 Joe Nuxhall Classic, and Hayden, a Cincinnati native, is particularly excited about the showcase.
“Joe Nuxhall is an iconic figure in this region and I am honored that we will be hosting this upcoming season,” said Hayden. “To be able to go to battle with teams we see so often and are from the area is a really neat thing and it is a tournament we are always excited to be a part of.”
After the southwest Ohio midweek battle, Miami heads back on the road for their furthest conference trip of the season, a matchup with Buffalo (April 15-17). The Red & White remain on the road for their next eight contests with series against Butler (April 20), Pittsburgh (April 22-24), Kentucky (April 26) and Kent State (April 29-May 1).
Next up is a four-game home stand, which includes a midweek contest with Morehead State (May 4) and a three-game set against Western Michigan (May 6-8). The RedHawks then wrap-up the final two weeks of the regular season with a road series at Central Michigan (May 13-15), the team’s final home game against Xavier (May 17) and a road series with Ohio (May 19-21).
The MAC Tournament will take place May 25-29 in Avon, Ohio at All Pro Freight Stadium.
