SAN ANTONIO — Head baseball coach Jason Marshall announced his 55-game schedule for the upcoming 2017 campaign on Friday.
The slate features 34 home games within the friendly confines of Roadrunner Field with another 21 on the road. The Roadrunners will clash with six teams, four hailing from Conference USA, who earned NCAA Regional berths in 2016, including one that made its way to the College World Series (CWS).
"We play another quality schedule this season," Marshall said. "If we win enough of those big games either home or away, it would be a huge step forward for our program to put together that type of season where you don't have to win the outright title or tournament title and potentially earn an at-large berth.
"One thing Conference USA proved last year about putting four teams in the tournament was that if you finish in the top quarter of our league you have a good opportunity to be recognized nationally."
The Roadrunners kick off their season-opening seven-game home stand with Quinnipiac on Feb. 17 and follow with Stephen F. Austin the following weekend on Feb. 24.
"Being able to start the season at home for the first couple of weeks is a huge advantage, so we can build some momentum and be able to work our selves into the Utah series," Marshall said. "We finish the non-conference portion at Texas Tech and that will be an incredible opportunity and challenge. It will show where we are as a team at that point."
A quick road trek to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Feb. 28, is the first of 11 midweek contests for UTSA before the Roadrunners return to host Pac-12 Champion Utah in a four-game set beginning March 3.
UTSA will face I-35 rival Texas State on the road on March 7, which begins an eight-game road swing for the Roadrunners. UTSA will then travel to Lubbock to take on Texas Tech, which earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and made its way to the CWS.
A trek out east to Marshall opens Conference USA action in Charleston, W.Va., on March 17 while a matchup against Houston Baptist on March 21 ends the lengthy road swing for the Roadrunners.
UTSA will host Old Dominion (March 24-26), WKU (April 7-9), Florida Atlantic (April 21-23), Middle Tennessee (May 5-7) and Southern Miss (May 18-20) in C-USA play in the Alamo City and will also welcome five other teams for non-conference action. The Roadrunners will not meet with UAB in the regular season for the third consecutive season and will face Louisiana Tech (March 31-April 2), FIU (April 13-15), Rice (April 28-30) and Charlotte (May 12-14) on the road.
For the first time since the 2012 season, UTSA will end its regular season at home with the Golden Eagles before possibly heading to Biloxi, Miss. for the 2017 C-USA Tournament, which is scheduled for May 24-28 at MGM Park.
"It's great to finish the year at home," Marshall said. "I think our guys have that date circled on their calendars but just because of the opponent. Southern Miss and UTSA for whatever reason have good matchups and a very healthy competitive rivalry that goes on between the two."
The Roadrunners will host their annual First Pitch Banquet on Feb. 2 at the H-E-B UC Ballroom to kick off the season. Click here for more information.
