FGCU releases 55-game baseball season schedule
Special to the Breeze
FGCU Eagles coach Dave Tollett released the school’s 55-game baseball schedule for 2015 this week.
The Eagles’ slate features six teams that played in the 2014 NCAA Tournament, three conference champions and one Super Regional participant. The Eagles play 16 of their first 18 games on campus with a total of 37 home games this season.
Also of note is the first-ever appearance by in-state rival Miami at Swanson Stadium on March 10.
The six NCAA Tournament participants are MEAC Champion Bethune-Cookman, No. 11 Florida State, defending Atlantic Sun Tournament Champion and NCAA Super Regional participant No. 27 Kennesaw State, No. 14 Miami, No. 38 Nebraska and MAAC Champion Siena. A total of 15 games are scheduled against those six programs with 10 of those on the road.
“I’m really proud of the schedule we were able to put together this season,” Tollett said. “It is going to be a challenge with a lot of very good programs on there, but we’re going to be up for it. What a schedule like this does is give our team an opportunity to face quality competition every time it takes the field.”
The season gets under way on Feb. 13 opposite Central Michigan in the first of a four-game series at Swanson Stadium. The Chippewas, who like the Eagles are receiving votes in the preseason Collegiate Baseball Top 40 poll, posted a 35-23 record last season and a 19-8 mark in the MAC.
The Eagles then welcome Fordham and Illinois for a pair of split doubleheaders Feb. 20 and 22.
The first road trip of the season is a brief one as the Eagles head north for a Feb. 24 date with South Florida in the first of two midweek tilts with the Bulls this season. The second takes place at Swanson Stadium March 24. FGCU split the two-game series with USF last season and are 7-3 all-time against the Bulls.
The Eagles host Siena the next day for the first time in program history. The Saints are the defending MAAC Champions.
Minnesota, the second of three Big 10 opponents for the Eagles, visits Swanson Stadium for a three-game series Feb. 27-March 1. It is the Eagles’ first meeting with the Gophers, who went 27-24 last season.
The Eagles make the first of two trips to Coral Gables to face Miami on March 4. The Hurricanes come to Swanson Stadium on March 10.
The Eagles kick off their Atlantic Sun Conference slate at North Florida March 27-29.
USC Upstate visits the following weekend for a pair of contests.
The marquee road series of the year is a brief, midweek stop at Florida State Apr. 788. FSU closed the 2014 campaign with a 43-17 record and a 21-9 mark in the ACC. The Seminoles advanced to the NCAA Regionals, but no further.
The Eagles return home to continue conference play.
The regular season concludes May 14-16 with a trip to Stetson.
The Eagles once again host the Atlantic Sun Championship Tournament this season. The event is set to take place May 20-24 among the top six teams in the standings at the end of the season for the double-elimination tournament to determine the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
The Eagles are four-time A-Sun Regular Season Champs with the most recent title coming in 2014.
FGCU 20-15 Baseball Schedule
Feb. 13 – vs. Central Michigan, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 14 – vs. Central Michigan (DH), 1 p.m.
Feb. 15 – vs. Central Michigan, 11:30 a.m.
Feb. 20 – vs. Fordham, noon; vs. Illinois, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 22 – vs. Fordham, 11 a.m.; vs. Illinois, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 24 – at South Florida, 6 p.m.
Feb. 25 – vs. Siena, 2:30 p.m.
Feb. 27 – vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 28 – vs. Minnesota, 2 p.m.
March 1 – vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m.
March 4 – at Miami, 6 p.m.
March 6 – vs. Western Michigan, 6:30 p.m.
March 7 – vs. Western Michigan, 2 p.m.
March 8 – vs. Western Michigan, 1 p.m.
March 10 – vs. Miami, 6:30 p.m.
March 13 – at Nebraska, 5:05 p.m.
March 14 – at Nebraska, 3:05 p.m.
March 15 – at Nebraska, 2:05 p.m.
March 20 – vs. Bethune-Cookman, 6:30 p.m.
March 21 – vs. Bethune-Cookman, 2 p.m.
March 22 – vs. Bethune-Cookman, 1 p.m.
March 24 – vs.South Florida, 6:30 p.m.
March 25 – at Miami, 6 p.m.
March 27 – at North Florida, 6 p.m.
March 28 – at North Florida, 6 p.m.
March 29 – at North Florida, 1 p.m.
April 2 – vs. USC Upstate, 6:30 p.m.
April 3 – vs. USC Upstate, 6:30 p.m.
April 4 – vs. USC Upstate, noon
April 7 – at Florida State, 6 p.m.
April 8 – at Florida State, 4 p.m.
April 10 – vs. Jacksonville, 6:30 p.m.
April 11 – vs. Jacksonville, 2 p.m.
April 12 – vs. Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
April 14 – vs. Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m.
April 17 – at Kennesaw State, 6 p.m.
April 18 – at Kennesaw State, 2 p.m.
April 19 – at Kennesaw State 1 p.m.
April 24 – vs. Massachusetts, 6:30 p.m.
April 25 – vs. Massachusetts (DH), 1 p.m.
April 26 – vs. Massachusetts, 2 p.m.
April 28 – at Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m.
May 1 – vs. Lipscomb, 6:30 p.m.
May 2 – vs. Lipscomb, 2 p.m.
May 3 – vs. Lipscomb, 1 p.m.
May 8 – vs. Northern Kentucky, 6:30 p.m.
May 9 – vs. Northern Kentucky, 2 p.m.
May 10 – vs. Northern Kentucky, 1 p.m.
May 14 – at Stetson, 6:30 p.m.
May 15 – at Stetson, 6:30 p.m.
May 16 – at Stetson, 1 p.m.
Atlantic Sun Championship
at FGCU
May 20-24