University of Connecticut Athletics
Baseball Announces 2009 Schedule
10/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
STORRS, Conn. (October 30, 2008) — The University of Connecticut baseball team, led by sixth-year head coach Jim Penders, has announced its 2009 schedule of opponents, featuring games in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Baseball Challenge in February.
In 2009, the Huskies will be playing in 22 home contests and 11 games at neutral sites, including the challenge Feb. 20-22, 2009 at venues in St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Dunedin, Fla. as well as the RussMatt Invitational in Winter Haven, Fla., where the Huskies will take on six different opponents. Last season, UConn hosted 20 games at J.O. Christian Field while this season the Huskies will play 33 of 56 games not on an opponent's home field.
"Since our season ended prematurely in Pittsburgh last May (17), our coaching staff and student-athletes have been working toward getting back on the field and reaching our goal of a championship season," said Penders. "On Feb. 20 we will finally get that chance in Clearwater, Fla. against Michigan State. That will be the first step in a very difficult non-conference schedule to prepare for the rigors of a tough BIG EAST slate. We look forward to meeting that challenge and will continue to work in the coming months so that next May 17th we will be flying back to Clearwater for the BIG EAST Tournament."
After 13 games in Florida, the Huskies will return to Connecticut to face in-state foe, Fairfield on March 16. The time for that contest is yet to be determined. UConn will compete in its home opener on March 20 as the Huskies begin BIG EAST Conference play with a battle against West Virginia. The Mountaineers finished the 2008 season in seventh place to make the BIG EAST Tournament before falling to South Florida in the conference tournament.
The Huskies will play 12 games in 13 days, which includes two BIG EAST Conference weekend series with West Virginia (March 20-22) and South Florida (March 27-29) in Storrs, Conn. The beginning of April will see the Huskies on the road as they will travel to both Seton Hall (April 3-5)and Rutgers (April 9-11) for two league series before returning to Storrs on April 14 to host Hartford at 3:00 p.m. The Hartford game will begin a seven-game home stand for the Huskies, featuring a three-game series with Georgetown (April 17-19).
BIG EAST Regular Season Champion, St. John's, will play at J.O. Christian Field April 24-26 before UConn hits the road for five contests, including a trip to South Bend, Ind., May 1-3 for a conference battle with Notre Dame. Pittsburgh will travel to Storrs, Conn. May 9-10 for a Saturday afternoon double-header and a Sunday single-game followed by the Huskies' BIG EAST series at Villanova May 14-16 to wrap up the 2009 regular season before the BIG EAST Conference Tournament set to take place at the Brighthouse Networks Field, May 19-23 in Clearwater, Fla.
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