Cardenas Announces 2015 Schedule
12/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
2015 SFA Baseball Schedule 
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin head baseball coach Johnny Cardenas announced the release of the upcoming 2015 season schedule for the Lumberjacks on Monday afternoon.
SFA’s 56-game schedule, including 28 games at Jaycees Field, is highlighted with non-conference games against Texas A&M, Rice, LSU, Arkansas and Kansas State. K-State also highlights the home schedule, along with visits from West Virginia, Washington State, Missouri State and Louisiana Tech, among others.
“My assistant coaches, Matt Collins and Mike Haynes, have done a very good job of putting together a solid schedule for the upcoming season,” Cardenas said. “The 2015 slate is a very balanced schedule that features some very talented opponents that we will face both on the road and at home.”
The ‘Jacks, coming off a 20-35 year, will play four schools who were ranked or receiving votes in the baseball polls – NCBWA, Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America, USA Today Coaches Poll – at the end of last season, all coming in non-conference play in LSU (NCBWA-15; USAT-16; CB-21; BA-22), Rice (NCBWA-24; USAT-25; CB-26; BA-RV), Arkansas (NCBWA-RV; USAT-RV; CB-30; BA-RV) and Texas A&M (NCBWA-RV; USAT-RV), all of which made the Regionals of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State also made a regional appearance as an at-large selection after winning the league’s regular season title.
“There are some great opponents this year, especially in the early part of our non-conference schedule,” Cardenas said. “Playing those caliber teams will give us a very good barometer as to where we are and what we need to do heading into what should be another close Southland Conference race beginning in March.”
SFA will open the season with four games at home, hosting Washington State, Missouri State and Texas-Arlington over a four-day span, beginning Friday, Feb. 13. The ‘Jacks and WSU will play in a 6 p.m. tilt under the lights and face MSU and UTA over the next two days, before closing out with the Cougars again on Monday, Feb. 16.
Following SFA’s tournament, the ‘Jacks kickoff a five-game road swing the following day, heading to College Station, Texas, to take on Texas A&M. The midweek meeting with the Aggies ends a span of five games over five days to open the season.
The ‘Jacks will play their first three-game series of year, heading to Louisiana-Monroe, on Friday, Feb. 20. The three-day series against the Warhawks in Monroe, Louisiana, is one of just two for SFA in non-conference action. The ‘Jacks will also host South Dakota State for three games in Nacogdoches, beginning on Friday, Feb. 27.
Other games in non-conference play include visits to Rice (Feb. 25), LSU (Mar. 3), two games at New Mexico (Mar. 10-11), Arkansas-Little Rock (Mar. 31), Texas Southern (Apr. 8), two games at Arkansas (Apr. 14-15) and Louisiana Tech (Apr. 28).
The ‘Jacks will also host KSU (Mar. 17-18), WVU (Mar. 24), TSU (Apr. 7), and LA Tech (Apr. 21) at Jaycess Field in midweek contests in between conference play.
Southland action kicks off for SFA on Friday, Mar. 6, against Central Arkansas. The ‘Jacks will also host Northwestern State (Mar. 20-22), SHSU (Apr. 2-4), Houston Baptist (Apr. 10-12) and Abilene Christian (Apr. 24-26) in weekend series.
In road SLC play, SFA will play series at New Orleans (Mar. 13-15), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Mar. 27-29), Incarnate Word (Apr. 17-19), McNeese State (May 1-3) and Lamar (May 8-10).
After holding the Southland Conference Baseball Championship Tournament in Conway, Arkansas at Bear Stadium on the campus of UCA last season, the postseason tournament will move back to Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas. The SLC Tournament will be held May 20-23 at the home facility of the Sugar Land Skeeters.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN:
-Total Games: 56
-Home Games: 28
-Away Games: 28
-Games in Texas: 40
-Games in Louisiana: 11
-Games in Arkansas: 3
-Games in New Mexico: 2
-Home Weekend Series: 6
-Homes SLC Series: 4
-Road SLC Series: 5
-Games vs. 2014 NCAA Tournament Teams: 5
-Games vs. 40-win teams: 4
-Games vs. 30-win teams: 12
-Games vs. Southland: 30
-Games vs. Sun Belt: 6
-Games vs. SEC: 4
-Games vs. Big 12: 3
-Games vs. C-UCA: 3
-Games vs. Summit: 3
-Games vs. Mountain West: 2
-Games vs. Pac 12: 2
-Games vs. SWAC: 2
-Games vs. Missouri Valley: 1
-SFA-
