Coming off a season that fell short of high expectations, Oregon baseball will have at least 56 chances to redeem itself in 2016.
On Tuesday the team announced its schedule for the upcoming season, which features 27 home games and 24 games against teams that also qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year.
The Ducks will open their non-conference slate with a road series against San Diego State from Feb. 19 – 21. Then they’ll return home for a seven-game homestand against Illinois State and UC Santa Barbara beginning on Feb. 25. Oregon took two out of three against UCSB in Goleta last year, outscoring the Gauchos 16-4.
Oregon will head south to take on Alabama on March 10, followed by a three-game series against Mississippi State over the weekend.
When they return home from Starkville, the Ducks will open Pac-12 play with a three-game series against Utah. Cal, USC, Washington State and Arizona will also play three-game series in Eugene.
Additionally, Oregon will play a game against Notre Dame in South Bend on March 31 before taking on Michigan State for a three-game series starting April 1. The Spartans swept the Ducks in three games in Eugene last year.
At least 20 of Oregon’s games will be televised, 17 of which by the Pac-12 Networks.
The Ducks finished 38-26, 16-14 in the Pac-12 and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year. They’ll return 13 position players, as well as a rotation of tall, hard-throwing left-handed pitchers, Cole Irvin, Matt Krook and David Peterson, and closer Stephen Nogosek.
Follow Kenny Jacoby on Twitter @KennyJacoby