Falcon Baseball Announces 2019 Schedule
10/31/2018 4:45:00 PM | Baseball
The slate includes 27 games at Falcon Baseball Field
USAFA, Colo. - The Air Force Academy baseball team and Head Coach Mike Kazlausky announced its 2019 schedule today, Oct. 31. The 56 game slate includes 27 games at home, as well as 26 grueling non-conference dates. In all, the schedule includes five teams who advanced to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
"Our 2019 schedule is the toughest schedule to date, as 10 of our first 22 games will be against teams that qualified for the NCAA Regionals last year," Kazlausky stated. "I believe in tough competition on the 'friendly fields of strife' because this is what our young men have raised their right hands for when it comes to protecting our nation. I know the MLB World Series just ended, but I'm already itching for baseball to be back and to see what our group of cadets have in store for 2019."
The 2019 season begins Friday, Feb. 15, in Baton Rouge, La. for Military Appreciation Weekend as the LSU Tigers host the Falcons, Army West Point, and Louisiana Monroe over a stretch of four days at Alex Box Stadium. Air Force will face the defending Patriot League champions in Army on both Feb. 15 and 18, while facing the home state Warhawks on Feb. 16, as well as the host Tigers and former Falcon skipper Paul Mainieri on Feb. 17.
"Once again, we will have the privilege of opening our season at the greatest college baseball atmosphere in the country, LSU and Alex Box Stadium, against three quality ball clubs," Kazlausky added. "I always enjoy having a chance to see and compete against my mentor, Coach Mainieri. The city of Baton Rouge, LSU, fans, players, and coaches treat our cadets with the respect that they deserve and truly make us feel welcomed."
Air Force heads further east the following weekend to face its other Service Academy rival, Navy, in Kinston, N.C. Feb. 22-24 for the 2019 Freedom Classic. The three-game set will be played at historic Grainger Stadium, home of the Class A-Advanced Down East Wood Ducks, whose MLB parent club are the Texas Rangers. The Blue and Silver concludes its east coast trip with a solo game at East Carolina, Feb. 25. The Pirates finished 43-16 last season, on their way to earning the 14th seed and hosting a regional at last year's NCAA Tournament.
There will be seven other non-conference opponents sprinkled within the rest of the schedule. In state rival Northern Colorado finds itself on the schedule four times, twice at home (March 12 and April 16), and twice in Greeley (April 2 and May 7). Air Force will host Utah Valley, April 9-10, while also hosting the Big 12's Kansas for a pair of midweeks, April 30 and May 1. The team will also hit the road for two other two-game midweeks at Nebraska, March 19-20, and at Pacific, March 26-27.
Finishing out the non-conference slate are a pair of weekend series that serve to break up Mountain West play throughout the season. Air Force will host both of these series at Falcon Baseball Field, starting with Missouri Valley power Dallas Baptist, March 22-24, as well as the Big East's Butler, May 10-12.
As for MW play, the Falcons will play a total of 30 games total, including home-and-home weekend series with four of the other six teams. Home-and-home series include defending tournament champions San Diego State (Home March 1-3, Away April 18-20), San Jose State (Home May 16-18, Away March 8-10), Fresno State (Home March 15-17, Away April 12-14) and defending regular season champions Nevada (Home April 26-28, Away March 29-31). The lone series against UNLV will be at home, April 5-7, while the only series against New Mexico will be in Albuquerque, May 3-5.
The top four teams in the conference standings at season's end will advance to the Mountain West Tournament, which will be held in Reno, Nev., May 22-26.
"We may have just finished our fall season playing two contests versus UNLV and Northern Colorado, but I am already looking forward to our upcoming spring season and I'm excited for what our future holds," Kazlausky said.
"Our 2019 schedule is the toughest schedule to date, as 10 of our first 22 games will be against teams that qualified for the NCAA Regionals last year," Kazlausky stated. "I believe in tough competition on the 'friendly fields of strife' because this is what our young men have raised their right hands for when it comes to protecting our nation. I know the MLB World Series just ended, but I'm already itching for baseball to be back and to see what our group of cadets have in store for 2019."
The 2019 season begins Friday, Feb. 15, in Baton Rouge, La. for Military Appreciation Weekend as the LSU Tigers host the Falcons, Army West Point, and Louisiana Monroe over a stretch of four days at Alex Box Stadium. Air Force will face the defending Patriot League champions in Army on both Feb. 15 and 18, while facing the home state Warhawks on Feb. 16, as well as the host Tigers and former Falcon skipper Paul Mainieri on Feb. 17.
"Once again, we will have the privilege of opening our season at the greatest college baseball atmosphere in the country, LSU and Alex Box Stadium, against three quality ball clubs," Kazlausky added. "I always enjoy having a chance to see and compete against my mentor, Coach Mainieri. The city of Baton Rouge, LSU, fans, players, and coaches treat our cadets with the respect that they deserve and truly make us feel welcomed."
Air Force heads further east the following weekend to face its other Service Academy rival, Navy, in Kinston, N.C. Feb. 22-24 for the 2019 Freedom Classic. The three-game set will be played at historic Grainger Stadium, home of the Class A-Advanced Down East Wood Ducks, whose MLB parent club are the Texas Rangers. The Blue and Silver concludes its east coast trip with a solo game at East Carolina, Feb. 25. The Pirates finished 43-16 last season, on their way to earning the 14th seed and hosting a regional at last year's NCAA Tournament.
There will be seven other non-conference opponents sprinkled within the rest of the schedule. In state rival Northern Colorado finds itself on the schedule four times, twice at home (March 12 and April 16), and twice in Greeley (April 2 and May 7). Air Force will host Utah Valley, April 9-10, while also hosting the Big 12's Kansas for a pair of midweeks, April 30 and May 1. The team will also hit the road for two other two-game midweeks at Nebraska, March 19-20, and at Pacific, March 26-27.
Finishing out the non-conference slate are a pair of weekend series that serve to break up Mountain West play throughout the season. Air Force will host both of these series at Falcon Baseball Field, starting with Missouri Valley power Dallas Baptist, March 22-24, as well as the Big East's Butler, May 10-12.
As for MW play, the Falcons will play a total of 30 games total, including home-and-home weekend series with four of the other six teams. Home-and-home series include defending tournament champions San Diego State (Home March 1-3, Away April 18-20), San Jose State (Home May 16-18, Away March 8-10), Fresno State (Home March 15-17, Away April 12-14) and defending regular season champions Nevada (Home April 26-28, Away March 29-31). The lone series against UNLV will be at home, April 5-7, while the only series against New Mexico will be in Albuquerque, May 3-5.
The top four teams in the conference standings at season's end will advance to the Mountain West Tournament, which will be held in Reno, Nev., May 22-26.
"We may have just finished our fall season playing two contests versus UNLV and Northern Colorado, but I am already looking forward to our upcoming spring season and I'm excited for what our future holds," Kazlausky said.
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