Friday, February 13:
Seattle U: #32 LHP Will Dennis (6-5, 3.25 ERA, 69 1/3 IP, 69 H, 36 R, 17 BB, 51 SO)
Saint Mary’s: #11 RHP Cameron Neff (5-8, 4.26 ERA, 88 2/3 IP, 95 H, 52 R, 22 BB, 60 SO)
Saturday, February 14 (Game One):
Seattle U: #20 RHP Skyler Genger (4-2, 4.06 ERA, 62 IP, 57 H, 32 R, 17 BB, 53 SO)
Saint Mary’s: #16 RHP Corbin Burnes (0-4, 6.18 ERA, 43 2/3 IP, 45 H, 34 R, 21 BB, 38 SO)
Saturday, February 14 (Game Two):
Seattle U: #40 RHP Ted Hammond (2-1, 3.38 ERA, 21 1/3 IP, 24 H, 14 R, 6 BB, 11 SO)
Saint Mary’s: #26 LHP Johnny York (First Division I collegiate appearance)
Sunday, February 15:
Seattle U: #30 LHP Tarik Skubal (First collegiate appearance)
Saint Mary’s: TBA
PLAY BALL!: Seattle University opens its sixth season of NCAA Division I baseball competition since the sport was reinstated by the school in 2008. The Redhawks open a 54-game regular season slate that features 34 home games thanks to a new turf field at Bannerwood Park. Seattle U plays eight of its first nine games at home and will have stretches of 12 consecutive games from March 3 to March 22 and 13 straight games from April 1 through April 21 without needing to board an airplane for any of its contests.The coaches hope that the reduced travel will help the team, especially down the stretch when the Redhawks will be contending for a spot in the WAC Baseball Tournament and a berth in the NCAA Tournament by winning the conference tournament.
NEW GROUND TO PLAY ON: Thanks to a partnership between the Seattle University Athletics Department and the City of Bellevue, a new turf playing surface has been installed on the infield at Bannerwood Park, including the mound and the first- and third-base lines. In addition, more drainage has been added to the outfield, making it more likely that all Seattle U home baseball games will be played at Bannerwood Park no matter what the weather conditions are. Thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, the project moved quickly, with city approvals coming in October and the first shovels entering the dirt in November.
LIGHT IT UP: Major League Baseball and the Seattle Mariners invited the Redhawk baseball team to hold a practice and scrimmage at Safeco Field on Wednesday, Feb. 4, in order to test the new LED lighting system, the first one of its kind to be installed at a MLB ballpark. The players raved about the new lights, telling MLB and Mariner officials that it was easier to see the ball both at the plate and in the field.