Lynn Baseball Announces 2011 Schedule

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University baseball head coach Rudy Garbalosa announced his schedule for the 2011 season on Tuesday.  The Fighting Knights have an ambitions slate with six opponents ranked in the top-25 nationally and two long road trips to start the year.

“This is a really good schedule that allows us to face top competition not only in our region but nationally as well,” said Garbalosa, the 2009 ABCA/Rawlings National Coach of the Year.  “It’s going to be a tough draw early on for us, heading to South Carolina and Alabama, but it’s our goal that these games will prepare us for our first two conference series, which we also have on the road.”

Opening day for the Blue & White is set for Tuesday, February 1, when they will battle Palm Beach Atlantic at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., in the first of four meetings between the two teams.  LU also sees St. Thomas (Fla.) before heading off on the road.

Their first trip takes them to Greenwood S.C., to face Carson-Newman, Lander and nationally-ranked Grand Valley State.  Lynn returns home only to turn around and head to Livingston, Ala., for a four-game series against West Alabama.

Just as in years past, the Fighting Knights will host a bevy of teams from the North and Northeast.  Mercyhurst, Hillsdale, Winona State, Wilmington, Molloy and another top-25 squad, Franklin Pierce, will see action at the McCusker Sports Complex.  Sandwiched in between those teams is neighbor and Division I foe, Florida Atlantic.

“The northern teams coming down are going to represent a challenge for us,” added Garbalosa.  “We’ll play a good amount of games in a short amount of time and that will get our guys prepared for postseason play when there isn’t a lot of time off.  And adding in Florida Atlantic, a quality, nationally recognized Division I team, will only make our guys better.”

Sunshine State Conference play begins in the middle of March with back-to-back road trips to Saint Leo and perennial NCAA Tournament contender Tampa.  The Knights also travel to nationally ranked Florida Tech and Barry while hosting top-25 teams Florida Southern and Rollins as well as Eckerd and Nova Southeastern.

“Our conference is as tough as it’s ever been,” Garbalosa said.  “Every weekend is going to be a battle for us so that makes our non-conference schedule even more important so that it can prepare us for the rigors of the SSC.”

Lynn went 16-37-1 in 2010 and returns 14 letterwinners.