Baseball program releases upcoming schedule

Home sweet home is the theme of the upcoming baseball schedule.

The FIU baseball program has released its schedule for the 2014 season and it features a vast majority of games under the Miami skies.

FIU will play a total of 54 games this season, 34 will be at home and they will vere out of the state for only 16 games.

FIU opens the season with 11-consecutive home games. Opening night will come on a Friday night in Miami when FIU hosts visiting Rutgers University on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. The series will span three games through Sunday. The Scarlet Knights finished last year with a 31-25 record.

Stetson University, Stony Brook University, Florida Memorial University and Dartmouth College round out the 11 home games to start the season.

The Panthers will take a break from NCAA opponents on Feb. 27 to play the Miami Marlins in an exhibition game in Jupiter, Fla. at 6 p.m. FIU has often played exhibition games against the Marlins in order to showcase its talent and learn on how to improve and get to the professional level.

The 2014 season also represents FIU’s inaugural season in Conference USA, which will provide a number of high quality opponents.

FIU’s first C-USA game will come away from Miami when it travels to Charlotte, N.C., on March 7 to take on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The Panthers first C-USA home game will come against the top team in the conference when they take on the Rice University on March 14 at home at 6 p.m. Rice is a national powerhouse when it comes to baseball. They have won the C-USA crown repeatedly in recent history, taking the honors in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. The reigning C-USA champs have been regulars at NCAA Tournament, making trips in 2005-13. The Owls won the College World Series back in 2003.

FIU hosts rival Florida Atlantic University between April 18-20 and plays a single game in Boca Raton on May 13. The home series against FAU will count toward the conference standing, but the away game at FAU will not.

The Panthers conclude the regular season in New Orleans, La. when they visit Tulane University on between May 15-17. After the Tulane series, FIU will head to Hattiesburg, Miss., for the C-USA Tournament between May 21-25.