BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball season opens this weekend and teams are sprinting out the gate against great competition.  SWAC programs will face four ranked teams in the first week of competition, with 10 other ranked teams on the horizon, including four top 10 programs.

Opening weekend features reigning east division champion Alabama State University taking on No. 7 Louisville (Feb. 13) and No. 17 Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 14) at the University of South Florida Clearwater Tournament.  On February 17, Texas Southern University hosts No. 3 Houston and Mississippi Valley State University will look to upset No. 14 Mississippi State on the road.

Reigning SWAC champion Jackson State University opens its 2015 campaign with a nine-game home stand, beginning with Texas-Pan American (Feb. 13).   There will be 12 games played on opening day in total. 

Other ranked opponents on the slate for SWAC teams this season are No. 2 TCU, No. 2 LSU, No. 5 Oklahoma State, and No. 6 Texas.  SWAC conference play begins the last weekend in February. 

Mississippi Valley State University
The Delta Devils are looking to continue their improvements after winning four times as many conference games as they did in 2013.  Leading hitter Arrington Smith (Greenville, Miss./St. Joseph) returns for his sophomore campaign.  The catcher finished with a team-high 43 hits and six doubles in his inaugural season.   MVSU will also look to relief pitcher Trent Kinney (Via Diablo, Hot Springs, Calif./Shadow Ridge) defensively.  He finished third on the team in strikeouts in just 39 innings of work.  The Delta Devils open 2015 at home against Illinois-Chicago in a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 13 that begins at 12 p.m.