After claiming the program's second Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title in the last four seasons, Morehead State baseball has announced its 2019 schedule. The slate features 29 home games-the most since 2015-and a home series in February for the first time since 2014.
Of the 24 foes on the schedule, each is making a return to the schedule, including three opponents who haven't been featured since the 1990s. The 24 challengers on the year comprise the membership of 12 different conferences with Conference-USA (C-USA), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) home to a pair of non-conference adversaries apiece.
Select home games throughout the season will be aired on ESPN+. MSUEagles.com will have the final listing as the season draws nearer.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Eagles will open on the road, traveling to Southern Conference foe Furman for three games from Feb. 14-17. The set represents the Paladins return to the Morehead State schedule as the programs haven't met since 1997. The trek to Palmetto State marks the team's fifth season-opening series in the Carolinas, having split the prior four evenly between North and South Carolina.
Morehead State returns home for the first time Feb. 21-24 for the team's first home series, a four-game set, with Oakland of the Horizon League. The series is the Eagles first at home in the month of February since 2014 (Fairleigh Dickinson). Following the Oakland series, Morehead State heads out for its first mid-week contest, travelling to Charlotte (Feb. 27) who is returning to the slate for the first time since 1998.
Opening the month of March, the Eagles continue hosting, welcoming in New Jersey Tech-an Atlantic Sun opponent-for a three-game set on March 2-3. Morehead State follows up with a mid-week matchup with the Atlantic Coast Conference's Louisville-a 2018 NCAA Tournament team-for the pair's annual game.
OVC play begins with the Eagles going on the road for the second consecutive season, travelling to the Music City for a three-game set with Belmont (March 8-10). Following the opening series of conference play, Morehead State returns home to host a Power-Five foe for the first time since Feb. 27, 2011. The Eagles host the Big 12's West Virginia for a pair of mid-week contests on March 12-13.
Morehead State finishes a seven-game homestand with a three-game set with in-state rival Eastern Kentucky (Mar. 15-17) before welcoming in the SWAC's Alabama State for a two-game midweek series.
The Eagles then embark on their longest road swing of the season, taking on an eight-game road trip. The trip features Morehead State's open weekend during OVC play as the Eagles travel to Carbondale, Ill., to face Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley) for the first time since 1991 on March 22-24. Also included on the swing are a pair of mid-week contests-at Kentucky (March 26) and Ohio (April 2)-and a conference series at UT Martin (March 29-31).
Morehead State's home slate concludes with four OVC weekend series and three midweek games across the final two months of the year. The Eagles host conference foes SIU Edwardsville (April 5-7), Eastern Illinois (April 18-20), Murray State (May 3-5), and Southeast Missouri (May 16-18). Morehead State will also host non-conference foes Alabama A&M (April 9-10) and Dayton (May 14).
The rest of the Eagles' OVC road slate includes Austin Peay (April 12-14) and Jacksonville State (April 26-28) before a rematch of last season's OVC title game at Tennessee Tech (May 10-12). Road midweek matchups over the final two months include Tennessee on April 16 and Marshall on April 23 and May 1.
With a new home in 2019-Rent One Park (home of the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League) in Marion, Ill.-the OVC Tournament will run from May 21-26.
