Hardin-Simmons’ baseball team will open its 2013 season on Thursday in Anthem, Ariz., against Pacific Lutheran University at 2:30 CST.
The Cowboys are playing in the four-day Arizona Division III Spring Classic that includes 10 teams from California, Oregon, Washington and Texas. All of the games count as Division III regional games and will go a long way toward selections of at-large teams for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.
HSU will play against Pacific Lutheran in the opener. The Lutes are 1-1 on the season and went 24-16 last season. Senior James Simmons is slated to get the ball for the Cowboys in the opener. He was 5-2 with a 1.90 ERA last season.
On Friday, HSU will Whittier (Calif.) at 2:30 and follow that with a game against Whitman at 11 a.m. Saturday. HSU closes out the Tournament with an 11 a.m. game against LaVerne (Calif.) on Sunday.
Whittier was 21-17 last season. Whitman was 5-34 and LaVerne went 26-16 and qualified for the NCAA regional.
All four games will have an audio broadcast on www.hsuathletics.com with Chad Grubbs on the call.
The Cowboys went 20-20 a year ago and return four position starters and a lot of their pitching staff. They have been picked third in the ASC West in the preseason poll.
The weekend starts a string of eight straight road games to start the season for the Cowboys.
Information provided by HSU athletics department.
