PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh head baseball coach Joe Jordano has today announced the team’s 2016 spring schedule, the program’s 109th season of competition, set to open February 19, 2016.
“I believe this schedule continues our philosophy of trying to play quality opponents prior to the start of the ACC season while combining quality opportunities for our young players to gain valuable experience as well,” said head coach Joe Jordano. “It is certainly challenging and I know all of us are looking forward to a quality season.”
Highlighting the Panthers’ schedule are five College World Series regional qualifiers in Florida State, Notre Dame, Clemson, Miami (FL), and Virginia. The Cavaliers defeated Vanderbilt in the CWS Finals, 2-1, after dropping game one in the best-of-three to claim the first NCAA championship in program history.
Pitt opens the season on February 19 against Niagara at the Historic Dodgertown Classic in Vero Beach, Fla. It is the second straight year in which they’ve headed to the Sunshine State for the season opener. From Feb. 19-21, the Panthers will also take on Toledo and Ohio State before concluding the trip with another matchup against Niagara.
On Feb. 26, Pitt will travel to face Grambling State in a three-game set. The team returns to Louisiana the very next weekend to face the New Orleans Privateers March 4-6.
The Panthers will then travel to North Carolina to open ACC play March 11-13. Pitt took last year’s series with the Tar Heels in Pittsburgh on a walk-off single from then-senior Eric Hess.
After a trip to Kent State on March 16, Pitt will host Florida State (March 18-20) followed by Boston College (March 24-26). The Golden Flashes will complete the home-and-home by coming to Cost Field on March 30.
The Panthers then face a stretch of nine-of-12 games played on the road. They will head south to play three games at Clemson April 1-3 before traveling to face Penn State on April 5. A home series against Georgia Tech (April 8-10) breaks up the sequence before trips to West Virginia (April 12), Virginia Tech (April 15-17), and Youngstown State (April 20).
Pitt plays the next eight back on their home field, starting with Miami (OH) April 22-24.
Reigning national champion Virginia will come to town from April 30-May 1 to play a three-game series. The first two contests will be played in a day/night doubleheader. The Panthers won the first game of last year’s doubleheader against the Cavaliers in Cary, N.C., and have taken a game from Virginia in each of the last two seasons while they were ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Pitt will host the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore for a pair of games May 3-4 before hitting the road to face Notre Dame May 6-8.
After a pair of non-conference matchups at home against Youngstown State (May 10) and Penn State (May 11), the Panthers will make their final road swing of the season at Miami (FL) May 13-15.
The final non-conference pairing will be at home versus West Virginia (May 17) before hosting Duke in a three-game series to close out the regular season May 19-21.
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