The Cal Poly baseball team released its schedule Tuesday. It’s headlined by a pair of games with defending national champion Fresno State.
The Bulldogs, who pulled off an improbable run through the College World Series last year, lost the 2008 season series to Cal Poly 3-2.
The Mustangs will play 30 of the 56 games at Baggett Stadium in 2009, marking the first time under head coach Larry Lee that Cal Poly will have more games at home than on the road.
Cal Poly, which played its first 11 games of the 2008 season on the road, will play six of its first seven games at home this year, including a season-opening, three-game series with 2003 College World Series champion Rice.
Other non-conference opponents include five schools from the Pac-10.
A change in the uniform start date last year forced Cal Poly to play 13 midweek games, a number that will be repeated this year, including home and away sets with in-state rivals San Jose State, Pepperdine, Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara.
The Mustangs begin Big West Conference play March 27 with a three-game series at UC Irvine. They will host four-time College World Series champion Cal State Fullerton for three games beginning May 8.
Cal Poly will return 18 lettermen from last season’s 24-32 team, including five position starters and seven pitchers.
Last year’s seventh-place Big West finish was the lowest for the Mustangs under Lee, who had guided Cal Poly to four consecutive winning seasons.