Mercer overhauls weekend schedule
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team announced major changes to this weekend’s schedule at Claude Smith Field. The Bears, who were scheduled for a three-game series with Belmont, will instead host the 2015 Mercer Baseball Classic with Akron, Belmont and Notre Dame all coming to Macon.
Mercer will face Akron in its opening game of the weekend at 6 p.m. on Friday before returning to action on Saturday against Notre Dame at 3 p.m. The Bears will wrap up this weekend’s slate with a 1 p.m. contest against Belmont on Sunday.
UNCG’s weekend series with Akron canceled; games with Charlotte and NC State added
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Wintry weather continues to alter the UNCG baseball team’s 2015 schedule as the effects of winter storm Remus has forced school officials to cancel the Spartans’ series against Akron. UNCG will instead head south this weekend for three games at historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Ga.
The venue is home to the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League, of which the Greensboro Grasshoppers are a member.
The Spartans will face off against Charlotte and NC State on Saturday and Sunday. UNCG takes on the 49ers at 11 a.m. and the Wolfpack at 3 p.m. Saturday before closing out the weekend with another contest against NCSU on Sunday at 11 a.m.
The Blue and Gold was to face Akron in a home series, but the recent winter weather and resulting field conditions prompted the schedule change.
VMI’s weekend series with Hofstra canceled
LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI fell victim to the weather once again Thursday, as the team announced the cancellation of another weekend series, this time against the Hofstra Pride. The two teams had been scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game Sunday, but the recent snowfalls have left multiple inches of snow still present, both on the field and in the stands.
The cancellation gives the Keydets, who have not been able to play a game since Feb. 15, a program record. According to records available in the modern era of VMI baseball (since 1951), the 15 full days that will be between VMI's Feb. 15 win at North Florida and its scheduled game March 3 in Charlottesville, Va., is the longest stretch between regular-season contests in program history.
Western Carolina’s weekend series with Youngstown State canceled
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Wintry precipitation associated with Winter Storm Remus has forced the cancellation of Western Carolina's home series with Youngstown State that was slated for this weekend. There is no makeup date and are no games scheduled for this weekend.
Precipitation from the two winter storms this week left the playing surface at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium unplayable. Friday's series opener was postponed on Wednesday with officials at WCU meeting on Thursday morning to discuss the remainder of the series. With the current condition of the field, travel concerns for Youngstown State and unfavorable Sunday forecasts calling for rain, the series has been canceled.
It is the second straight week that winter weather has affected Youngstown State's schedule as the Penguins also had their Feb. 20-22 series at Tennessee Tech canceled. For WCU, it represents four straight seasonal games affected by weather.
Western Carolina (3-3) opens a stretch of six straight home dates by hosting Valparaiso for two nonconference games midweek on Tuesday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 4, on-campus at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. First pitch both days is slated for 4 p.m.