AUGUSTA, GA. – The Augusta University baseball team has released it’s 50 game schedule for the upcoming year and it will again be a challenge, both with some heavy hitter non-league games as well as the always tough Peach Belt Conference schedule.
The Jaguars will open the year on the road in Flordia with back-to-back doubleheaders against perennial powerhouse St. Leo from the Sunshine State Conference Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. St. Leo is usually a top 10 team in the nation and AU coach Chris Howell is looking forward to the challenge.
“We’re getting down in Florida now and spreading our games out and playing some high end teams to get us ready for the Peach Belt Conference,” said Howell.
Following the initial road trip, the team returns to Jaguar Field for eight straight games. They will start by taking on Erskine Feb. 4 and then host Kentucky Wesleyan in a three game weekend series Feb. 7-9. The Friday night contest will be under the lights as this marks the second year Jaguar Field will be able to host night games. The home stand continues with a single game against Francis Marion on Feb. 11 and then it’s Florida Tech coming to the Garden City for four games in three days, Feb. 13-15. They will open the series with a 7 p.m. start on Thursday, Feb. 13 followed up with a doubleheader on Friday starting at 3 p.m. and wrapping things up with a noon first pitch on Saturday.
Howell said the tough, non-league games will only help the Jaguars as the season goes along.
“I think it gives these guys, right out of the gate, what it’s like to play high-end Division II baseball. It’s important for our guys to see that and continue to grow from there,” Howell added.
The Jaguars will then hit the road with a single mid-week game at Newberry Feb. 18 before opening conference play in Milledgeville, Ga. when they take on Georgia College in a three game series with single games Feb. 28 – March 2.
AU will have a midweek game on March 4 when they travel to Franklin Springs, Ga. to take on Emmanuel.
It’s back home March 7-9 for more PBC action as Lander makes the trip to Augusta for single games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
They will continue conference play with a trip to Orangeburg, S.C. where they’ll battle Claflin. There will be a single game March 14 with a doubleheader the following afternoon.
Another midweek game will be held on March 19 when the Jags travel to Belmont Abbey for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
A home series will be held March 21-23 against conference foe USC Beaufort. Friday night’s contest will be under the lights starting at 6 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday scheduled to start at 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.
After a quick trip to Florence, S.C. to play Francis Marion March 25, the Jaguars will then square off with USC Aiken in what’s become an annual affair at SRP Park in North Augusta. The two border teams have annually played a game at the home of the Augusta GreenJackets and that tradition continues March 26 at 6:35 p.m.
North Georgia then will come to Jaguar Field to continue the conference schedule with a three game set March 28-30.
The action heats up in April with Emmanuel making the trek to Augusta for a single game at 4 p.m. April 1. Another non-league game will follow as Newberry will be in town the next day.
After that, it’s a three game series in Columbus, Ga. against the Cougars April 4-6 with the opening the game of the series being a 6 p.m. first pitch.
Jaguars will have three other non-conference games April 8 against Erskine on the road, April 16 against Belmont Abbey at Jaguar Field and will also host Anderson on April 22.
The final conference series will be against the Pacers of USC Aiken on April 11-13 at Roberto Hernandez Stadium in Aiken, S.C. The Jags will then host the final two regular season series with Georgia Southwestern in town April 17-20 with Flagler in to wrap up the year April 25-27.
Year after year, Peach Belt Conference baseball flexes it’s muscle as one of the tougher conferences around and this year will be no different.
“What makes it so good it’s just a high-end brand of baseball,” Howell said. “Every weekend is a challenge, it’s tough on the road, and it’s just been consistent for so many years.”
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