UALR set to play Kansas in NLR
JEFFREY SLATTON ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
A nonconference game at North Little Rock’s Dickey-Stephens Park highlights the 2010 UALR baseball schedule, which is expected to be released today. UALR will host Kansas at Dickey-Stephens Park on May 18 in the Trojans’ first appearance for a regular-season game at the facility. UALR has played exhibition games against the Class AA Arkansas Travelers the past two seasons. “It’s a good, high-profile team that we’re bringing in to show people our commitment to bring the program on the right track,” second-year Coach Scott Norwood said. The game will be the second college baseball game played at Dickey-Stephens Park. Arkansas and Louisiana Tech are scheduled to play there May 11. Norwood said UALR has plans to play at least one high-profile game at Dickey-Stephens Park each season. UALR will open the season with 18 consecutive home games at Gary Hogan Field in Little Rock. That includes the Sun Belt Conference opener against South Alabama on March 12-14. UALR’s first road game of the year comes at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla., on March 19-21. UALR then returns home for two games against Western Illinois and three games against Florida International, giving the Trojans 23 of their first 26 games at home. “Hopefully, that will give us some confidence,” Norwood said. “It’s a chance for us to jell a little bit with all of our new guys and show people we’re a little better this year.” In the second half of the season, UALR has road games at Kansas, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Oral Roberts. After hosting Kansas at Dickey-Stephens Park on May 18, UALR finishes the regular season May 20-22 at Arkansas State. UALR finished 16-34 last season, failing to make the Sun Belt Conference tournament. UALR baseball schedule DATE OPPONENT Feb. 19 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Feb. 20 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Feb. 20 Saint Peters Feb. 21 Saint Peters Feb. 26-28 SIU-Edwardsville March 2-3 Eastern Michigan March 5-7 IP-Fort Wayne March 9 Stephen F. Austin March 12-14 South Alabama* March 16-17 Tennessee-Martin March 19-21 at Florida Atlantic* March 23-24 Western Illinois March 26-28 Florida International* March 30 at Kansas DATE OPPONENT April 2-4 at Troy* April 7 at Ole Miss April 9-11 Belmont April 13 at Oral Roberts April 16-18 Louisiana-Lafayette* April 23-25 at Middle Tennessee* April 27 Stephen F. Austin April 30-May 2 New Orleans* May 4 at Oklahoma May 7-9 at Western Kentucky* May 14-16 Louisiana-Monroe* May 18 Kansas& May 20-22 at Arkansas State* *Sun Belt Conference series & at Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock