Jan. 30, 2001

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB second-year baseball coach Larry Giangrosso announced today his team's 2001 schedule that features a 33-game home slate and contests against seven different teams that reached the NCAA tournament a season ago.

The schedule, which begins Feb. 12 at Young Memorial Field with a 3 p.m. contest against Alabama State, has the Blazers playing 19 of its first 22 games at home.

"The schedule is going to be friendly at the start," Giangrosso said. "This will help the fact that we have 20 new players getting adjusted to Division I baseball."

Giangrosso and his team will not have an easy task ahead, though, as the Blazers are scheduled to play NCAA tournament teams from last season which include in-state foes Alabama, Auburn and South Alabama, along with Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State and Conference USA foes Houston and Tulane.

"Overall, this is a tougher schedule that we had last year," Giangrosso added. "Conference USA gets stronger each year with teams such as Southern Miss, Houston and Tulane. Last year, we saw the emergence of Cincinnati as they reached the championship game of the conference tournament. This type of schedule is very challenging but a lot of fun for our team. It gives us many opportunities to try and succeed against quality opposition."

Of the NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, the Blazers have home dates against South Alabama (Feb. 27), Middle Tennessee (Feb. 28), Alabama (Apr. 11), Auburn (May 1) and Mississippi State (May 9), while also playing each of those team except USA on the road. UAB also travels to Houston (Apr. 6-8) and Tulane (Apr. 27-29) in conference play.

As for home league series, the Blazers faces Saint Louis (Mar. 16-18), Charlotte (Mar. 30-31, Apr. 1), Memphis (Apr. 20-22) and Louisville (May 4-6). The regular season concludes May 16-20 with the C-USA Tournament at Zephyr Field in New Orleans.

UAB 2001 BASEBALL SCHEDULE
February
12 Alabama State, 3 pm, 16 Southern Illinois, 2 pm, 17 Southern Illinois, 2 pm, 18 Southern Illinois, 1 pm, 20 at Belmont, 3 pm, 21 at Vanderbilt, 3 pm, 23 Lipscomb, 2 pm, 24 Lipscomb, 2 pm, 25 Lipscomb, 1 pm, 27 South Alabama, 3 pm, 28 Middle Tennessee, 3 pm.

March
2 Tennessee Tech, 3 pm, 3 Tennessee Tech, 2 pm, 4 Tennessee Tech, 1 pm, 6 Vanderbilt, 2 pm, 9 Eastern Illinois, 2 pm, 10 Eastern Illinois, 2 pm, 11 Eastern Illinois, 1 pm, 14 at Alabama, 7 pm, 16 Saint Louis*, 7 pm, 17 Saint Louis*, 2 pm, 18 Saint Louis*, 1 pm , 20 at Middle Tennessee, 7 pm, 23 at South Florida*, 6 pm, 24 at South Florida*, 12 noon, 25 at South Florida*, 12 noon, 27 Jacksonville State, 7 pm, 30 Charlotte*, 7 pm, 31 Charlotte*, 2 pm.

April
1 Charlotte*, 1 pm, 3 at Mississippi State 6:30 pm, 4 at Samford, 6 pm, 6 at Houston*, 7 pm, 7 at Houston*, 2 pm, 8 at Houston*, 1 pm: 11 Alabama, 7 pm, 13 at Cincinnati*, 5 pm, 14 at Cincinnati*, 12 noon, 15 at Cincinnati*, 12 noon, 17 at Jacksonville State, 6 pm, 20 Memphis*, 7 pm, 21 Memphis*, 2 pm, 22 Memphis*, 1 pm, 24 at Auburn, 6 pm, 27 at Tulane*, 6:30 pm, 28 at Tulane*, 2 pm, 29 at Tulane*, 1 pm.

May
1 Auburn, 7 pm, 4 Louisville*, 7 pm, 5 Louisville*, 2 pm, 6 Louisville*, 1 pm, 8 Samford, 7 pm, 9 Mississippi State, 6:30 pm, 11 at Southern Miss*, 6:30 pm, 12 at Southern Miss*, 3 pm, 13 at Southern Miss*, 1 pm, 16-20 at C-USA Tournament, Zephyr Field, New Orleans, La.

* Conference USA games, All Times Central