Three more Wisconsin teams ready to play some ball

With Viterbo and Milwaukee already started, many teams are licking their chops waiting to get their 2011 season started. This weekend, three more Wisconsin teams will have that chance as Parkside, Cardinal Stritch and MSOE will be in action in this the last week of February.

Parkside
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside will take on Winona State in a game that was originally scheduled for the Metrodome. For obvious reasons the game has been moved. According to the Parkside baseball website,

"After the collapse of the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis, the UW-Parkside and Winona State baseball teams needed to find an alternate location to play their four-game series Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 26-27. The series will now be played at Lenz Field in Jacksonville, Illinois."

Barring any kind of weather inconvenience, the two doubleheaders will be played at noon on Saturday and Sunday. Video for the game is available here and audio is available here. Stay tuned for a short preview on the Parkside tonight or tomorrow.

Cardinal Stritch
The Wolves will travel down to St. Louis to open the 2011 season with a pair of doubleheaders against Harris-Stowe State University.

The forecast is calling for highs in the 50's and 60's so it appears that all four games will be played. Harris-Stowe does not have any audio or video links mentioned.

A year ago, Stritch finished 16-35 overall and 8-22 in conference. They are, however, returning the Conference Player of the Year in Deano Mlachnik. The Wolves will look to him to guide the team towards a better record in 2011.

 MSOE
The Red Raiders will open up their schedule with a Sunday match-up against Franklin College. The game is one of nine that MSOE will play on their spring trip to Florida.

The Florida trip will take place over a six day span and will test the Red Raiders pitching staff, that by all indications looks to be young and inexperienced. Coach Troy Doering did have a very successful recruiting class and hopes that many of the young arms will come out strong.