ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend baseball team has officially released its 2015 schedule on Monday.
"Our players are working hard this off-season to prepare for the challenges of the spring slate," said head coach Paul Benim. "We are looking forward to opening the year competing against Hood and Drew and seeing two of our finest in coach Beddick and coach Hirschberg. We are very proud of what they have accomplished and eager to see them coach their teams up." The two head coaches at Hood and Drew are former Penn State Behrend baseball assistants.
The Lions will open with two new opponents at Hood College in Frederick, MD. Behrend will play Drew University and the hosts, Hood. After the weekend in Maryland, Behrend will then travel to spring training in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Lions expect to play eight varsity and three junior varsity games during the week-long visit to the sunshine state. "The annual trip to Florida always brings great competition to the start of our season," said assistant coach Jay Condit. "We have an experienced lineup that should produce enough offense and play great defense behind our talented pitching staff."
The Behrend Lions home schedule features four dates against AMCC competition which includes Pitt-Bradford, Altoona, Hilbert, and Pitt-Greensburg traveling to Erie. Additional home games against traditional regional opponents include Fredonia, Thiel, and Allegheny. The home schedule also includes Mt. Union, Otterbein, and Grove City coming to the Behrend diamond.
On the road, Behrend will face similar challenges. The schedule is highlighted by trips to Dickinson, Fredonia, Allegheny and eight league games.
The AMCC Championship will begin with first-round action on May 2, followed by the second-round double elimination tournament at the regular-season champion on May 9.
The Lions won the 2014 ECAC Championship with a 7-3 victory over Gallaudet last May, marking Behrend's fourth ECAC Championship.
Behrend must replace three graduated seniors from last season's 30-14 team, but will rely on 21 returning letterwinners.
The Lions have been one of the premier programs in the Northeast, winning 423 games since 2000.
