Belton, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor baseball team will open the 2016 season with a busy schedule over the next week. The Cru will play six games over a stretch of five days to open the year, beginning with the Central Texas Weekend this weekend at Red Murff Field.
UMHB is one of three teams along the I-35 corridor playing host to a strong field of Division III programs this weekend. The Cru opens the tournament with an 11:00 AM first pitch against 7th-ranked Rhodes College on Friday before closing out opening day with a 7:00 PM start against Pomona-Pitzer. UMHB will face Whitworth University in a 3:00 PM start and take on Piedmont College in a 7:00 PM tilt on Saturday with three total games on the slate at Red Murff each day. The Cru will close out the tournament with a 1:00 PM game against Pacific on Sunday. Live video and live statistical coverage of all of the games played at Red Murff Field will be available through the UMHB Athletic Department web site at www.cruathletics.com. Concordia Texas and Southwestern University will also be hosting games during the tournament. The tournament will feature the following teams playing at those sites: UMHB, Concordia, Southwestern, Rhodes, Pomona-Pitzer, Emory University, Whitworth University, Piedmont College, Pacific University and George Fox University.
UMHB returns 21 letter winners from last season and welcomes back seven position players who started ten or more games last season. The Cru also returns pitchers who combined for 17 of the team's 19 wins and four of UMHB's seven saves last year. Pitcher Aaron Barteau was an All-Region selection in 2015 and outfielder Chase Burrow earned All-Region honors following the 2014 campaign. Barteau, Burrow, Dakota Parsons, Will Stafford and Cory Farr were all voted to the American Southwest Conference All-Conference Teams last season.
The Cru will close out its opening week home stand with a 6:00 PM single game against Trinity University on Tuesday, February 16th. UMHB will then play its final four games of February on the road, including an ASC opening series at defending conference champion U.T.-Tyler on February 26th and 27th.
UMHB finished 19-22 overall last season and went 16-14 in ASC play. The Cru advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament and is picked to finish fourth in the conference in the league's annual Preseason Coaches and Media Poll this season.
