No. 5 Aggie Baseball Set to Open Blue Bell Park

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 5 Texas A&M baseball returns to the diamond this weekend when it kicks off the 2012 season and christens the newly-renovated Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park by hosting Illinois-Chicago in a three-game series. Game times are set for 6:35 p.m. Friday, 4:05 on Saturday and 12:05 for Sunday's series finale.

The  Aggies are coming off one of the best seasons in school history, finishing the 2011 campaign with a 47-22 overall record to claim a share of the Big 12 regular season title, the league's postseason tournament championship and a trip to Omaha, Neb., for the College World Series.

 

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (2011 Stats)

FRIDAY (FEB. 17)
Texas A&M - #38 Michael Wacha (Jr., RHP, 9-4, 2.29)
Illinois-Chicago - #52 Joey Begel (Jr., RHP, 4-3, 4.98)

SATURDAY (FEB. 18)
Texas A&M - #36 Ross Stripling (Sr., RHP, 14-2, 2.29)
Illinois-Chicago - #49 Charlie Weinberg (Jr., RHP, 6-5, 5.17)

SUNDAY (FEB. 19)
Texas A&M - #55 Rafael Pineda (R-So., RHP, 0-0, 0.00)
Illinois-Chicago - vs. #38 Matt Heaslip (Sr., RHP, 5-5, 5.78)

 

FOLLOWING THE ACTION

 

• RADIO - Fans can listen locally on WTAW-AM 1620 ... Dave South (play-by-play) and selected commentators will call the action ... pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
• INTERNET - aggieathletics.com will offer live play-by-play and statistics ... fans can watch the game free of charge on aggieathletics.com.
• MOBILE PHONE - listen to the game on your iPhone, Blackberry or PDA free of charge - log on to radioaggieland.com for more information.

 

AGGIE BASEBALL FAN INFORMATION

We're excited to share the beauty and fan-friendly features of our new ballpark with everyone this weekend but we ask for your patience, as with any new brand-new facility, there will be some growing-pains as we adjust to our new ballpark and all its incredible amenities that will make Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park college baseball's finest stadium. Below are a few things to expect during this weekend's opening series

 

TICKET INFORMATION

• The Ticket Office at Blue Bell Park is located on the third base side of the front entrance to the stadium. Ticket sales & will call distribution begin at 3 p.m on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. We expect to have credit card sales online for opening day, but encourage fans to bring cash as a precaution.
• Season tickets and individual reserved seats are sold-out. Fans can purchase limited Lawn Seating/Standing Room Only tickets at the ball park on gameday only.
• Student walk-up and student guest tickets are available on gameday. Currently registered Texas A&M students must present a valid, legible student ID to purchase a guest or walk-up ticket.
• Students with an all sports option will enter the stadium by swiping their ID at the right-most gate of the main entrance.
• Fans are allowed to bring small blankets for use on the lawn seating areas, but lawn chairs and other portable furniture are not allowed inside the stadium. No outside food or beverages are permitted except a one-liter plastic bottle of water.
• Sections 201-204 will be held for Texas A&M students, with students overflowing to the lawn and standing room areas as necessary.

 

CONCESSION INFORMATION

• Due to construction, menu choices in some concession stands may be limited this weekend.
• Casa Ole (above first base lawn seating area) and other venders will be available on the concourse.
• Credit cards sales may not be available at all concession stands. There will not be an ATM on premises until construction is complete.

 

MEDIA WILL CALL

• The media will call credential pick-up area at Blue Bell Park is located on the first base side of the front entrance to the stadium, at the entrance to the elevator. Media members picking up credentials will need to show a photo ID to an attendant to gain access to the park. The writers' seating area, broadcast booths and media information center is located on the third floor of the stadium.

 

PARKING INFORMATION

• Season ticket holders should be prepared to park in the Reed Arena lot due to limited space in the Blue Bell Park lot while construction is underway.
• Fans are encouraged to avoid the intersection of Wellborn Road and Joe Routt Boulevard because of lane closures due to road construction.
• Additionally, fans are encouraged to come early to Saturday's game since it will be a busy day for Texas A&M athletics with two basketball games and a softball game taking place on campus.

 

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS

• FRIDAY - The first 3,000 fans in the park will receive a free T-Shirt courtesy of Monogram's & More commemorating the opening of Blue Bell Park.
• SATURDAY - Have-A-Catch ... fans are invited to play catch on the field for 30 minutes following the game.
• SUNDAY - Kids are invited to come down to the field and run the bases following the game and The Junior Aggie Club will be passing out drawstring bags courtesy of Southwest Dairy Farmers.

 

TEXAS A&M/ILLINOIS-CHICAGO SERIES NOTABLES

The Aggies and Flames have met on the diamond only one other time, on May 30, 2008, during the NCAA College Station Regional at Olsen Field ... Texas A&M emerged the winner on that day by a score of 15-1, led by first baseman Luke Anders, who went 4-for-4 with a home run and five runs scored, and designated hitter Darby Borwn, who also homered and drove in five runs during the win.

 

MORE ON ILLINOIS-CHICAGO

The Flames are coming off a 28-26 campaign in 2011 that saw them finish in a tie for first atop the Horizon League standings with a 16-7 conference record, marking the 10th time in the last 11 seasons UIC won or finished tied for the regular season championship ... UIC returns 19 letterwinners from last season's squad ... The Flames were picked second by the conference coaches in the 2012 Horizon League Preseason Poll, behind favorite Wright State ... The team is led by head coach Mike Dee, who is in his 14th year at the helm of the program and has a career record of 420-302-1 (.581).

 

UP NEXT

Texas A&M will host Stephen F. Austin in a single game next Tuesday at Blue Bell Park before welcoming Holy Cross to College Station for a three-game weekend series ... Last season, the Aggies defeated SFA 7-5 on March 22 at Blue Bell Park.

 

NOTES AND NOTABLES

• Head coach Rob Childress enters his seventh season at the helm of the Texas A&M baseball program, beginning the year with a 246-135-2 record. Last season, he lead the Aggies to the postseason for a school-record fifth-consecutive season and back to the College World Series for the first time since 1999.
• Texas A&M welcomes back 16 letterwinners, including five positional starters, from last season's 47-22 team that reached Omaha, Neb., and the CWS. All-Americans Tyler Naquin (OF), Ross Stripling (RHP) and Michael Wacha (RHP) are back along with Freshman All-American Krey Bratsen (OF).
• The Aggies enter the season ranked in the top seven in all four major college baseball polls with the highest being a No. 5 ranking in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Poll.