Scorpions set to kick off Spring Break stretch against Fisher College
Die-hard baseball fans will enjoy 14 college baseball games over seven days, including nine University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College games, starting Saturday at Scorpion Field.
The Scorpions kick off the Spring Break bonanza with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Saturday against Fisher College (Mass.). Saturday’s games also start the second half of a 46-game season.
Two games will played for the first five days at Scorpion Field, three Thursday, March 18, and one Friday, March 19.
UTB-TSC (8-15) is fresh off a 15-game streak of road games in which the Scorpions went 3-12. Prior to starting the monthlong stretch of road games, the Scorpions were 5-3.
"Hopefully we learned a lot about ourselves and how to react in certain situations," Scorpions coach Bryan Aughney said. "In the 15 games, we encountered many situations that hopefully we learned and grew from."
There were some positives from the road trip, the biggest being a 5-4 victory over defending national champion Lubbock Christian. The Scorpions were down 4-0 going into the final seventh inning before erupting for five runs.
The Scorpions’ inability to finish games was equally disappointing. In several losses, the Scorpions led midway through games only to see an opposing team comeback. Seven of the 15 losses thus far have come by one run.
The last seven games have been against NCAA teams, including five Division I teams. The Scorpions only play two NCAA teams during the second half of the season.
Aughney hopes some home cooking against NAIA teams will cure the Scorpions.
"It’s very nice to be back at home," Aughney said. "We have a good stretch of home games here. It will be nice to sleep in our own beds."
Following Saturday’s twinbill, the Scorpions and Falcons meet for another doubleheader at 1 p.m. Sunday at Scorpion Field.
Northern baseball teams get diamond exposure in Texas
College baseball teams who are just starting their seasons will enjoy the South Texas weather as they visit Scorpion Field in the coming week.
"Northern teams like coming here obviously because of our weather," Scorpions coach Bryan Aughney said. "We also really try to give them the best hospitality we can. I want the kids that visit us during this time to have great memories of South Texas."
Fisher College, from Boston, Mass., is making its third straight trip to South Texas. The Falcons barely started their season last week in South Carolina, dropping its first four games. Fisher flew to San Antonio and will be on a charter bus in South Texas for one week.
Coach Scott Dulin begins an aggressive schedule, playing 12 games within eight days. Fisher will play four doubleheaders at Scorpion Field, leaving an open date Tuesday so the players can visit South Padre Island.
After the trip to Brownsville, the Falcons journey to Victoria to face the University of Houston-Victoria for four more games March 18 through 20.
Valley City State from eastern North Dakota is traveling 1,665 miles for the third straight year to Brownsville. The Vikings are 2-0 and will begin play Tuesday, March 16, at Scorpion Field.
The newcomer to the Spring Break field this year is Concordia-Nebraska, which is traveling 1,150 miles to South Texas.
The Bulldogs (1-11) will play three games Thursday and Friday, March 18 and 19, at Scorpion Field. Concordia is spending its Spring Break playing seven games in seven days against six different teams in Texas and Oklahoma from March 14 to 21.
