Challenging Non-Conference Slate Set For Bobcats…

Texas State has released its 2012 college baseball schedule. The Bobcats open their season at home February 17-19 with games against Santa Clara, Wichita State and Louisiana-Lafayette.

That season opening event is followed by a Feb. 22 game in Round Rock, TX against Baylor. The game will be played at Dell Diamond-the home of the Triple-A Round Rock Express. TSU and Baylor will play twice more during the season on each teams’ home field.

Texas State plays a three game series at Houston Feb. 24-26 and then goes to TCU on Feb. 28. The Horned Frogs make the return trip to San Marcos on March 20.

The Bobcats host three games with Notre Dame March 2-4 and then host Rice on March 8. They will go to Rice on April 10.

Other notable non-conference opponents include two road games at Texas, a game at Texas A&M and two home games against Oregon on March 27 & 28.

Southland Conference play begins March 9-11 when the Bobcats travel to UT-Arlington. Other conference road series are at Sam Houston State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls, and Northwestern State.  Conference home series are against Stephen F. Austin, McNeese State, Central Arkansas, and Lamar. The first and third games of TSU’s series vs. UT-San Antonio will be at home, while the middle game will be played in San Antonio.

Ceremony Set For May 8

ARLINGTON, Texas – The UT Arlington baseball program will retire former Maverick and current Kansas City Royals manager Trey Hillman’s #1 jersey number prior to the first pitch of UT Arlington’s Saturday, May 8, game against Stephen F. Austin at 2 p.m. at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Hillman’s (1982-85) #1 jersey will join former head coach Butch McBroom (#30) and the late former player, assistant coach and head coach Clay Gould (#8) as the only jersey numbers retired in UT Arlington baseball history.

Hillman, the only three-time All-Southland Conference selection in UTA history, will be in attendance for the ceremony as the Kansas City Royals are schedule to take on the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington May 6-9.

“It is a great honor, especially to join the only other two people who have had their numbers retired,” Hillman said. “I have great memories playing at UTA and Arlington will always be my hometown. I’m looking forward to coming back and being able to share that day with everyone at UT Arlington.”

Trey Hillman

Just 16 months ago, Hillman returned to his alma mater when he was named a Distinguished Alumni at the 43rd Annual UT Arlington Distinguished Alumni Gala. After a four-year career with the Mavericks, Hillman signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. Hillman later returned to UT Arlington where he earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and sport studies in 1991.

One of the top players in UT Arlington history, Hillman became the first Maverick baseball player inducted into the UT Arlington Athletic Hall of Honor in 1992. Hillman’s .442 batting average in 1985 – which led the Southland Conference – remains the top single-season batting average in UTA history and is the second best average in Southland Conference history.

After completing his professional playing career in the Cleveland Indians’ minor league system in 1987, Hillman spent one season scouting with the Indians before becoming the youngest minor league manager at that time with the New York Yankees Class-A club in the Carolina League. He then spent 12 years managing in the Yankees minor league system from 1990-2001.

After one season as the director of player development with the Texas Rangers, Hillman accepted a managerial position with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. During five seasons in Japan, the Nippon-Ham Fighters made three playoff appearances (2004, 2006, 2007), which includes winning the 2006 Japan Series championship and the 2006 Asian Championship. It was the first title for the Nippon-Ham Fighters franchise since 1962.

Hillman became the 15th manager in the history of the Royals on Oct. 19, 2007, and has followed by leading the Royals to 140 wins in two seasons, which is the most wins during the first two seasons by a Royals manager since Bob Boone won 145 games in 1995-96.

Two other familiar faces to the UTA program will be on hand with Hillman as his third base coach, Dave Owen (1977-79), and bullpen coach, Steve Foster (1987-88), will also return to UT Arlington for the ceremony.

Owen became the first former Maverick to make it to the big leagues with the Chicago Cubs in 1983 and Foster pitched three seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1991-1993. Owen will start his third season on the Royals coaching staff this year while Foster is joining the Royals after spending the past three seasons as the bullpen coach for the Florida Marlins.

(Release)

Texas State Favored In Coaches’ & SID Polls

FRISCO, Texas – Texas State is favored to win its fourth Southland Conference regular-season baseball championship by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference announced Tuesday.

The Bobcats received five first-place votes and 114 points in the coaches’ poll and five first-place votes and 112 points in the SID poll. Texas State returns 19 letterwinners, five starters and nine pitchers from a Bobcat squad that won its first regular-season title since 1997 and posted its best record in program history with 41 overall wins and 24 league wins.

Sam Houston State, the three-time defending Southland tournament champions, was picked to finish a close second to Texas State. The Bearkats received four first-place votes and 107 points in the coaches’ poll and four first-place votes and 103 points in the SID poll.

The remaining first-place votes went to Lamar, which came in third in both polls with three first-place votes and 105 points in the coaches’ poll and two first-place votes and 100 points in the SID poll. Less than 12 points separate the top three teams in both polls.

Both polls had the same order of finish from the first-place team through the eighth-place team. After Lamar, Southeastern Louisiana was picked fourth, followed by UTSA, UT Arlington, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin.

The only difference in both the coaches’ and SID polls came at the ninth and 10th-place rankings. Central Arkansas was picked ninth in the coaches’ poll and 10th in the SID poll and McNeese State was picked ninth in the SID poll and 10th in the coaches’ poll.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Nicholls round out both polls as the 11th- and 12th-place teams, respectively.

Opening day of the Southland season is Feb. 19 with conference play beginning March 5. For the second consecutive season, the Southland Conference tournament will be played at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas. The event will be held May 26-29.

Southland Conference Coaches Poll

Pl.       School (first-place votes)……………………….. Pts.

1.         Texas State (5)………………………………………. 114

2.         Sam Houston State (4)………………………….. 107

3.         Lamar (3)………………………………………………. 105

4.         Southeastern Louisiana…………………………… 84

5.         UTSA……………………………………………………….. 77

6.         UT Arlington……………………………………………. 73

7.         Northwestern State………………………………… 65

8.         Stephen F. Austin……………………………………. 50

9.         Central Arkansas……………………………………… 39

10.      McNeese State……………………………………….. 34

11.      Texas A&M-Corpus Christi………………………. 23

12.      Nicholls…………………………………………………… 17

Sports Information Directors POLL

Pl.       School (first-place votes)……………………….. Pts.

1.         Texas State (6)………………………………………. 112

2.         Sam Houston State (4)………………………….. 103

3.         Lamar (2)………………………………………………. 100

4.         Southeastern Louisiana…………………………… 90

5.         UTSA……………………………………………………….. 83

6.         UT Arlington……………………………………………. 76

7.         Northwestern State………………………………… 62

8.         Stephen F. Austin……………………………………. 46

9.         McNeese State……………………………………….. 41

10.      Central Arkansas……………………………………… 40

11.      Texas A&M-Corpus Christi………………………. 21

12.      Nicholls…………………………………………………… 17