"It's a very competitive schedule, especially for a program going through its first season. However, we wanted to put together a schedule that will attract the type of student-athlete we need to build this program," head coach Donny Harrel said. "We have 29 home games, which is a great number for a first-year program, and we hope to use that to our advantage against tough competition."
For the first time since 1986, Seattle University will play an intercollegiate baseball game, opening the year with a two-game series against Washington State in Pullman, Wash., with noon games on Feb. 20 and 21. SeattleU will also face the Cougars in a neutral-site game at Paul Thomas Sr. Baseball Stadium in Wenatchee, Wash., on Tuesday, April 13, at 6 p.m.
Seattle University and the city of Bellevue have come to an agreement to allow the baseball program to use Bannerwood Park as its home field. The 29-game home schedule begins Tuesday, Feb. 23, against Saint Martin's University, with the first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. After that game, SeattleU spends the next three weekends away from home with series at Portland (Feb. 26-28), at Pacific (March 5-7), and at Oregon (March 12-14).
The first Division I opponent to come to Bannerwood Park will be Cal State Northridge for a four-game series March 19-21, including a doubleheader on March 20. Tuesday, March 23, will see the renewal of the crosstown rivalry between SeattleU and Washington, with the Huskies coming to Bannerwood Park for a 6 p.m. game. Seattle University will return the trip by playing against Washington at Husky Ballpark Tuesday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m.
After a home game against Pacific Lutheran Thursday, March 25, the Redhawks head to Reno, Nev., for an Easter weekend series against Nevada April 1-3. SeattleU does not leave the state of Washington for 40 days, starting with an exhibition game against British Columbia on Tuesday, April 6. The Redhawks welcome Alabama A&M (April 9-11), Nevada (April 16-18), Dallas Baptist (April 22-24), BYU (April 29-30), Portland (April 30-May 1), Lewis-Clark State (May 7-8), and Utah Valley (May 11-12) to Bannerwood Park for multi-game series during that stretch.
SeattleU will have the opportunity to play at Rosenblatt Stadium, the home of the NCAA Division I College World Series, during the first game of a three-game series against Creighton in Omaha, Neb., May 14-16. After a two-game series at Oregon State May 18-19, SeattleU concludes the season with a four-game series against Saint Mary's May 21-23. The site of the May 22 game has not been determined, and the last day of the 2010 season will feature a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. at Bannerwood Park.
The SeattleU baseball program is also hosting two special events this season. Limited spots are still available for the "Meet the Redhawks" dinner and auction this Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning with a reception and silent auction at 4 p.m. at the Evergreen Ballroom at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on 6th Avenue in downtown Seattle. Sunday, May 2, the baseball team will host a Tribute to the O'Brien Twins, honoring SeattleU legends Eddie and Johnny O'Brien. For more information on either event, contact Greg Sempadian in the SeattleU athletic department at (206) 398-4420 or sempadig@seattleu.edu.
Season tickets for the 2010 Seattle University baseball team are on sale by contacting Matt Harper in the athletic ticket office at (206) 296-2835 or harperw@seattleu.edu. Live stats for all SeattleU home baseball games should be available on GoSeattleU.com.