MSU baseball released its 2015 season schedule on Monday, which includes 56 games.
The Spartans will start off by traveling to Surprise, Ariz. on Feb. 13 to play a three-day tournament against New Mexico, Oregon State and Northwestern.
“It’s going to be a challenging weekend, but the ballpark is beautiful, the weather is outstanding and we have a number of alumni out there that will again get the opportunity to see us play,” head coach Jake Boss Jr. said in a released statement.
Throughout the season, MSU will play a healthy away schedule, including in Texas at the NCAA Tournament qualifier from Feb. 20-22 vs. Houston Baptist, UT Arlington, and Southeastern Louisiana, in South Carolina for the Coastal Carolina invite from March 6--8, and at Oregon from April 3-5.
“When we recruit student-athletes, we make a promise to play the best competition that we can,” Boss said. “They are going to see different parts of the country and experience different places with tremendous atmospheres for college baseball. It is also an opportunity to play in a regional-type of setting and prepare us for the end of the year, the Big Ten Tournament and beyond.”
The home opener against Central Michigan on March 24 will be the first of 17 played at McLane Baseball Stadium at Kobs Field . Others include Oakland (March 25), Illinois (March 27-29), Northwestern (April 10-12), Toledo (April 21), Purdue (May 1-3) and Penn State (May 8-10).
MSU will continue its tradition of playing home-and-home sets with all three of the state’s Mid-American Conference schools, according to a released statement. In addition to the home opener against Central, the Spartans will play Western Michigan on April 8 and Eastern Michigan on April 29.
On April 9, MSU will compete against Lansing Lugnuts in the ninth annual Crosstown Showdown at Cooley Law School Stadium.
For the rivalry game against Michigan, teams will play at Comerica Park on April 14 in a non-conference game. The following day (April 15), MSU will take on Central Michigan for the fifth consecutive year in Detroit, as well.
“We have really enjoyed playing at Comerica Park the last couple of years,” Boss said. “Getting the chance to play Michigan down there should be a great atmosphere as well. We have a lot of alumni in the Detroit area that are excited about us coming down, and the fact that we get to come down back-to-back days is even better.”
The 2015 Big Ten Tournament will take place at Target Field in Minneapolis from May 20-24.
