Scorpions announce 55-game schedule
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College begins a tough 55-game baseball schedule Jan. 23, featuring 36 home games and the Scorpions' first games against NCAA Division I competition.
The Scorpions will meet NCAA Div. I University of Texas-Pan American April 8 and 22 in Edinburg.
UTB-TSC also will play host New Mexico State, another NCAA D-1 school, at Scorpion Field for games April 24 and 25.
"We are excited to have a tough schedule, and it's designed to set us up for the postseason - everything we do is geared towards a conference championship," Scorpions coach Bryan Aughney said. "The great thing about our schedule is we play a ton of games at home, on our turf."
The home games against Division I schools are the first for the program. UTB-TSC, which has been a member of the NAIA since 2006, played at Houston Baptist last year. The Scorpion women's volleyball team played host to Houston Baptist in 2007.
New Mexico State also will play at UTPA during its visit to South Texas. The Aggies were 28-33 during the 2008 season.
The meetings with the Broncs at Edinburg Baseball Stadium in April mark the first time the Scorpions and Broncs have met in a competitive game. The teams have scrimmaged in the past.
"Playing NCAA Division I opponents is a great opportunity for our players and our program," Aughney said.
New Mexico State was 28-33 last year, and UTPA was 21-35.
The Scorpions will be challenged early in the season by four strong NAIA teams who were nationally ranked or finished with excellent records last season.
UTB-TSC begins the season with 11 straight home games starting Jan. 23 against Wayland Baptist (43-16-1, No. 13 in 2008), Lubbock Christian (53-4, No. 1 in 2008), and University of Houston-Victoria (28-5 in 2008), which is coached by former Houston Astros infielder Terry Puhl.
The Scorpions also will play host Texas Wesleyan (42-16, No. 25 in 2008) for three games.
March is highlighted by a stretch of 16 straight home games from March 14 to 28, including nine against Fisher College (Mass.) and Valley City State (N.D.), each of whom are spending Spring Break in South Texas.
"We are excited to get things rolling this season and can't wait to begin the campaign in January,' Aughney said.
