Jan. 23, 2009
HOUSTON - The defending Big 12 Champion and No. 1-ranked Texas A&M baseball team will take part in the ninth-annual Houston College Classic this February at Minute Maid Park, and tickets are now available for purchase.
The six-team tournament will feature nine games at the home of the Houston Astros from February 27-March 1. Five of the teams in the tournament are ranked in the top 12 of the Baseball America preseason rankings, including the top-ranked Aggies, No. 7 Rice, No. 8 Baylor, No. 9 UC Irvine and No. 12 UCLA. Also in the field is 2008 NCAA Regional finalist Houston.
A&M is slated to open the tournament against 2007 College World Series semifinalist and 2008 NCAA Super Regional participant UC Irvine on Friday at noon. The Aggies then face Rice on Saturday at 7 p.m. in a rematch of Super Regionals in '07 and '08, and will close out the tournament Sunday night at 6 p.m. against Houston--who A&M faced three times in last year's College Station Regional.
Tickets for the College Classic are available now and can be purchased online at astros.com, at the Minute Maid Park Box Office, or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-877-9ASTROS. Tickets may also be purchased at all of the Astros regular Houston-area Ticketmaster outlets. Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Tickets are $13 for daily admission and $30 for the three-day tournament. Children's tickets (ages 4-14) are $6 daily and $15 for the tournament. Student tickets are also $6 and are available at the MMP Box Office with the presentation of proper student ID. A season ticket holder discount ($6.50 per day) is available at the MMP Box Office only. Reserved seating in the Diamond Club is $30 per game (subject to availability) and is available at the MMP Box Office. Reserved seating is also available in the Club Level for evening games only for $20 for Adults and $10 for kids.
Special ticket options are available, including the College Classic Student Ticket Package sponsored by Coca-Cola. For $10, high school and college students and kids from ages 4-14, can purchase a daily lower-bowl general admission ticket which is good for all three of the games played that date. The ticket package also includes a voucher for one 16-ounce Coca-Cola product and a regular hot dog. This ticket package is only available at the Minute Maid Park Box Office with the presentation of proper ID.
2009 Houston College Classic Schedule*
Fri., Feb. 27 Texas A&M vs. UC Irvine Noon
Houston vs. Baylor 3:30 p.m.
UCLA vs. Rice 7:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 28 UC Irvine vs. Houston Noon
Baylor vs. UCLA 3:30 p.m.
Rice vs. Texas A&M 7:00 p.m.
Sun., March 1 UCLA vs. UC Irvine 11 a.m.
Baylor vs. Rice 2:30 p.m.
Houston vs. Texas A&M 6:00 p.m.
* - times subject to change