Crimson Tide Announces 2003 Baseball Schedule
11/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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» Complete 2003 Schedule
» Complete 2003 Schedule 
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama head coach Jim Wells released the 2003 baseball schedule today, one that includes two teams that played in the 2002 College World Series and five teams that advanced to NCAA Super Regional play last year.
In all, Alabama will play 11 NCAA Tournament participants this season, including Louisiana-Lafayette (39-23), Houston (48-17), Rice (52-14), Southeast Missouri State (37-20), Georgia (32-29), Florida (46-19), LSU (44-22), Auburn (34-26), South Alabama (42-19), Arkansas (35-28) and South Carolina (57-18).
"This is another very good schedule against some very good teams," Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. "We have a number of difficult non-conference games as well as the always demanding SEC schedule. The SEC had the No. 2 RPI in the nation last year and seven teams made the NCAA Tournament and two more could have.
"I am very excited about the Astros College Classic to open the season. We will play three quality teams in a major league baseball stadium (Minute Maid Park home of the Houston Astros). It will be three challenging games against three very good teams."
Alabama will open the season Feb. 14-16, 2003 against Louisiana-Lafayette, Houston and Rice in the 2003 Astros College Classic in Houston. All three teams played in the NCAA Tournament last year, with Houston falling the the national champion Texas Longhorns in the Super Regional, and Rice advancing to the College World Series for the third time under coach Wayne Graham.
Those three teams were a combined 139-54 (.720) last season and UH and Rice could both be ranked in the Top 5 when the polls are released in mid December.
The Crimson Tide's non-conference home schedule includes meetings with Centenary, SE Missouri, Miss. Valley State, Rhode Island, Belmont, Birmingham Southern, UMass, La. Tech, West Alabama, South Alabama, UAB, Samford and Jacksonville State.
The home SEC schedule includes Georgia (Mar. 14-16), LSU (Mar. 28-30), Kentucky (April 11-13), Arkansas (April 25-27) and South Carolina (May 16-18).
