MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University’s baseball team officially released the 2013 schedule which is filled with some of the strongest competition the South Region has to offer. Head coach Marc Pavao has put together a balanced schedule that has the Bucs on the road for 22 games, and at home for 28 contests.
For the second consecutive year, the Buccaneers open the season at the friendly confines of Feinbloom Field with a three-game series against Georgia Southwestern University beginning on Friday, Feb. 1. Last spring, Barry captured two of the three games against the Hurricanes, winning the rubber-match, 6-5.
The Buccaneers will then travel to Rome, Ga., where they’ll face the Hawks of Shorter University in a three-game set beginning on Feb. 9th.
Following a short road trip, the Bucs return home for a mid-week matchup against Palm Beach Atlantic followed by their Sunshine State Conference opener against Florida Tech on Feb. 15th.
“Our goal with our schedule this year was to fit in as many regional teams as possible and it’s evident as our first 15 games are in region, 11 of which are against opponents outside of the Sunshine State Conference,” said Pavao.
Non-conference matchups in Melbourne, Fla., versus Florida Tech, at Alabama-Huntsville, and in Coral Gables against the Division I ‘Canes of Miami wrap up a busy month of February.
“Miami is a perennial program with a tradition of success. They’ll be a good test for us before we enter the second weekend of conference play,” said Pavao.
A slew of home games await the Buccaneers in early March including eight straight games at Feinbloom Field against the likes of Saint Leo, Wilmington, University of the Sciences, Adelphi and St. Michael’s.
In March, the Bucs will play road conference series at Florida Southern and Nova Southeastern, with a home game with Palm Beach Atlantic scheduled in between, before they host University of Tampa for a three-game set beginning on Thursday, Mar. 28th. The Spartans captured the Sunshine State Conference title in 2012, and have won nine conference titles since 2000. In the last five years the two teams have split the last five SSC championships, with Barry winning in 2009 and 2011.
Barry steps out of conference play to play Ave Maria, Florida Memorial, St. Thomas and Palm Beach Atlantic in the month of April. Closing out the conference portion of the schedule, the Bucs will travel to Rollins and Eckerd and will host rival Lynn on Apr. 12-13.
“Because we anticipate our pitching depth to be one of our strengths this spring we feel this schedule will play to our benefit. There are no easy games on the schedule and every weekend in conference is against a tough opponent,” said Pavao.
The Buccaneers wrap up the regular season with a SSC series in St. Petersburg, Fla., against the Tritons of Eckerd College on May 5-6th.
To see the complete schedule of Buccaneer baseball games click here.