CINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati baseball coach Ty Neal released the team’s 2016 schedule on Friday. The 55-game slate features 25 games against teams who advanced to the 2015 NCAA tournament, including three against College World Series qualifier LSU and one against super regional participant Louisville.
The Bearcats will play 25 home games at Marge Schott Stadium and 24 games in the competitive American Athletic Conference.
“This is an exciting time to be a Bearcat,” said Neal. “We have been anxious to show our fans the competitive schedule we have pieced together. It also is a reminder that the start of season is right around the corner.”
UC kicks off the season with possibly its toughest test, traveling to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for three games at LSU Feb. 19-21. The Tigers, who advanced to the 2015 College World Series, finished the season ranked fifth in all major college baseball polls and return sophomore All-American Alex Lange on the mound.
The Bearcats also will face SEC powers Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Kentucky within the first three weeks of the season, as well as NCAA regional competitor Coastal Carolina.
“This is the third year for our staff and we have put a very competitive schedule together,” said Neal. “This is all part of the process to prepare this group to win a championship.”
Cincinnati opens its home slate with a 10-game homestand at Marge Schott Stadium including four games against Canisius, a 2015 NCAA regional team, on March 11-13.
Play in The American begins April 1-3 when the Bearcats host the Bulls of USF. Cincinnati will play all seven teams in the league for a three-game series, including a home-and-home series with Memphis which will visit MSS April 22-24. On the road, UC will play at NCAA regional participants Tulane and East Carolina before facing a rematch against UCF, which the Bearcats beat twice last season while the Knights were ranked sixth in the nation.
“Just like our challenging early season schedule, The American is one of the top conferences in the country” said Neal. “The conference was the third toughest in the nation last spring. The guys who choose to play in this program are hungry and embrace competition.”
Cincinnati faces some intriguing midweek opponents in 2015, including Indiana, Wright State and Louisville, all NCAA teams last season. Neal will lead his team in a two-game series against IU, where he served as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2006-13. The Bearcats also will matchup with Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio State and Western Carolina in midweek games, and will look to regain its title at the eighth annual Joe Nuxhall Classic, held in Oxford, Ohio, on April 12 and 13.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, Cincinnati will play in the American Athletic Conference Championship from May 24-29 at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida. All eight teams will participate in the tournament with the winner earning the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Championship.
2016 Cincinnati Baseball Schedule
