With high expectations for his baseball team, coach Greg Beals rolled out a demanding 56-game schedule for this season.
Ball State University will play five teams that participated in last year's NCAA Tournament, including College World Series participant University of Arkansas. The Cardinals will begin the season Feb. 19 in Fayetteville, Ark., with a three-game series.
Beals said he is happy with the difficulty of the schedule, especially since he expects to compete for another Mid-American Conference title.
"I think we put together a schedule we knew was going to be challenging for us," Beals said. "We want to make sure the team is more than prepared for conference play and for a chance to win a championship."
Last year Ball State won the MAC West Division crown for the first time since 2005. Their defense of that title will begin March 26 at Ohio University. The Bobcats knocked the Cardinals out of the MAC Tournament, ending their season.
Ball State will have its home opener April 2, when Miami University visits Muncie. Ball Diamond will be host to 16 games this season, down from last year's scheduled 24.
"The weekend before conference play we have at times played at home," Beals said. "We also lost a weekend because we're in a cycle of four of nine conference series at home, instead of five."
Ball State will travel to the University of Louisville the weekend before to begin MAC action this year. Traditionally the two schools have played each other in a midweek game, but for the first time since 2006 it will be for a weekend series.
"It's not something we'd tried to do in the past," Beals said. "It's very good competition and a fairly easy trip. It's good for our fans to come down to a good ballpark."
Louisville is one of the five NCAA Tournament teams from last year, as they advanced to Super Regionals. There could have been another tournament participant on the Cardinals' schedule, but they will not play last year's MAC champions Kent State University.
"That's always a series I look forward to, them being my alma mater and a perennial power," Beals said. "I have a couple good friends on their coaching staff and its like fighting with your brother. That's certainly a weekend I'll miss."
The home portion of the Cardinals' docket is highlighted by a visit from Purdue University on May 11. It will be the second straight year the Boilermakers play at Ball Diamond. They are one of five Big Ten teams Ball State will play a total of eight times.
The games against the Big Ten begin during the Caravelle Resort Invitational hosted by Coastal Carolina University over Spring Break with the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan. Beals said he is happy to be returning to Coastal Carolina.
"I have a lot of respect for coach [Gary] Gilmore," Beals said. "I like the fact they put together a tournament with neutral site games on a college campus."
Many northern teams play tournaments in spring training sites in Florida or minor league facilities, but that isn't for Beals.
"I like going somewhere to play on a college campus with the college atmosphere," Beals said.
That shouldn't be a problem opening weekend at Arkansas, where the Razorbacks could be in the preseason rankings.
"We'll both be starting our season together," Beals said. "It'll be a great barometer for where we are."
Key matchups
ARKANSASDate: Feb. 19-21 at Arkansas2009 Record: 41-242009 recap: No. 4 in the final poll and lost to Lousiana State in College World Series.Key player: Zack Cox, named the West League All-Star MVP at the Cape Cod League All-Star game in July.
LOUISVILLEDate: March 19-21 at Louisville2009 Record: 47-182009 recap: No. 14 in the final poll and lost to No. 2 Cal State Fullerton in NCAA Super Regional.Key player: Phil Wunderlich, named a 2009 Second-Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
OHIO STATEDate: May 12 at Ohio State2009 Record: 42-192009 recap: No. 25 in the final poll and lost to No. 8 Florida State in the NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals upset then-No. 23 Ohio State 20-8 in 2008.Key player: Alex Wimmers, a first-team All-American selection in 2009.
MIAMIDate: April 2 at Ball Diamond2009 Record: 30-252009 recap: Eliminated by Kent State in semifinals of the MAC Tournament.Key player: Adam Eaton, Hit .350 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI. Also swiped 28 bases in 29 steal attempts.
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