The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Baseball Announces Series at Arizona State in 2007
10/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Oct. 26, 2006
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- UAB head baseball coach Brian Shoop announced the addition of Arizona State to the 2007 schedule on Thursday. The Blazers will play a three-game series in Tempe, Az., February 23-25. It will mark the first time in program history that the Blazers will play a Pac-10 school.
Arizona State finished the 2006 season ranked 23rd in the USA Today Top-25 Coaches Poll after posting a 37-21 overall record, including an impressive 26-6 record at Packard Stadium. Furthermore, the Sun Devils went 2-2 in the regular season against eventual national champion Oregon State.
The February 23-25 weekend series begins with Friday's game being played at 7 p.m. followed by Saturday and Sunday's games being slated for 1 p.m.
Shoop, serving his first season at as the Blazers' skipper, expressed his excitement to be able to compete against such a highly regarded program.
"Our young men are very excited about our trip to Tempe this spring," he said. "Arizona State provides us the opportunity to fly to a new part of our great country and the chance to play one of the traditionally top college baseball programs in America."
UAB will hope to use the marquee series to jump-start its season after winning 19 games a year ago. UAB returns eight starting position players from last season, including senior catcher Danny Sawyer who hit .305 last year with 16 doubles and 47 RBI, both team-highs.
Shoop said the ASU series is one that will prepare his team to strive towards their goal of advancing through the postseason.
"We think trips like this are a reward for hours and hours of hard work that the players put in, and a great opportunity for our young team to see where we stand as a team," he said. "This is certainly the caliber team and caliber venue that we would play in a regional tournament, which is a destination we are certainly shooting for."
In addition, Shoop hopes that the early season trip will provide an opportunity for his young squad to grow together as a team.
"Special trips like this also help build the family atmosphere that we want in our program," he said. "We're just very excited for this trip for many reasons."
The complete 2007 UAB schedule will be released the week of November 22.
