Complete Schedule
 
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Thursday that the defending Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Champion baseball team will open up the 2021 season with a three-game home series against future WAC opponent Lamar starting on Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.
 
UTRGV also plays Lamar on Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 12 p.m.
 
UTRGV plays its next five games against Power 5 competition, visiting Baylor for a mid-week game and Washington for a four-game series before returning home to host Northern Illinois March 5-7 with games at 1 p.m., 2 and 12, respectively.
 
Baylor and Washington both received votes in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's (CBN) preseason poll. In total, UTRGV is scheduled to play 24 games against teams ranked or receiving votes in the CBN, D1Baseball.com and/or Baseball America preseason polls, including a home game against No. 30 Texas State on April 6 at 6 p.m., and road games at No. 9 Texas (March 16), No. 10 TCU (May 11), No. 21 Dallas Baptist (March 25-28), Grand Canyon (March 12-14), New Mexico State (April 30-May 1) and Sacramento State (May 20-22)
 
"I think the balance in our schedule is outstanding," UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. "We face some outstanding teams on the road and that's exciting. We're playing a very tough schedule. It's going to be a great test."
 
After the Northern Illinois series, UTRGV plays its next 13 games on the road, starting with the WAC opening four-game series at Grand Canyon.
 
All WAC series will consist of four games this year with a doubleheader on Saturday. The first game of each doubleheader will be scheduled to last seven innings while the second game will be scheduled for the full nine innings. All WAC series will have consistent start times with opening night at 6 p.m. local time, the day two doubleheader starting at 1, and get away day starting at 12, unless otherwise indicated.
 
The trip continues on March 16 at Texas before another WAC series at Dixie State March 19-21. UTRGV closes out the road stretch with four games at Dallas Baptist March 25-28.
 
UTRGV returns home on March 30 at 6 p.m. to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union. This is the start of a 10-game home stand stretch of 14 out of 15 games at home, with the lone road game being a trip to Corpus Christi as part of the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, on April 13.
 
UTRGV will play three-straight home WAC series to start April, beginning with California Baptist April 1-3, continuing with Utah Valley April 9-11, and concluding with Seattle U April 23-25.
 
UTRGV will face New Mexico State April 30-May 2 and then play its final two home WAC series May 7-9 against Tarleton and May 14-16 against Northern Colorado. UTRGV will visit TCU on May 11 and close out the regular season May 20-22 at Sacramento State.
 
The top six teams in the WAC advance to the WAC Tournament, which runs May 26-30 at Hohokam Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics, in Mesa, Ariz. The WAC Tournament Champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
"The things I'm hearing about some of the other teams, such as Grand Canyon, Sacramento State, California Baptist, Dixie State, Utah Valley and all these other teams is how good they are and how excited their coaching staff are," Matlock said. "I think this could be a year in which the WAC gets an at-large. I think there's that many good teams in the league. The coaches are outstanding, and the student-athletes play hard. It's just an exciting time in the WAC right now with as good as our teams have become."
 
Season tickets can be purchased by visiting UTRGVTickets.com or contacting the UTRGV Ticket Sales and Operations team of Carlos Munoz (956-665-3747) and Tiffany Ochoa (956-665-3415) over the phone or through email at tickets@utrgv.edu.
 
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UTRGV Athletics is limiting capacity at UTRGV Baseball Stadium to approximately 1,000 fans. Additionally, UTRGV Athletics has instituted additional safety measures at UTRGV Baseball Stadium, including:
 

• Social distancing markers at the entry gate that are strictly enforced to allow for social distancing.
• Face masks are required to be worn properly by all fans, media and staff present inside UTRGV Baseball Stadium. The CDC defines wearing a mask correctly as covering the nose and mouth and securing it around the chin, trying to fit in snugly against the side of the face. The CDC does not recommend using masks with an exhalation valve or vent. Neck gaiters, bandanas and similar items are not acceptable alternatives to face masks. Children ages 2 and under are not required to wear masks.
• All fans, media, staff and student-athletes will be subject to a temperature test prior to entry. Anyone displaying a temperature over 100.0°F will be taken to a cooling off area prior to a secondary temperature screening. Employees or guests confirmed to have a temperature over 100.0°F or exhibiting any signs of COVID-19 will not be allowed entry to the property.
• Enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures will be implemented prior to and during all home games.

• Hand sanitization stations have been installed in all public areas.
• The UTRGV Bookstore kiosk for gear purchases has been relocated to behind the cantina to allow for social distancing.
• Current UTRGV students will be admitted free of charge on a first come-first serve basis. All seats in the student section will be socially distanced.

 
Concession Stand

• Face coverings will be required to be worn by all customers and staff at all times.
• Concessions staff will wear gloves.
• Condiment stands will be eliminated. Pre-packaged condiments, wrapped straws and napkins will be distributed upon request by staff with each food order.
• Menu offerings will be limited to the most high-demand, fan favorite items for speed of service and efficiency.
• Food items will be wrapped or pre-packaged and offered in easy-to-carry bags along with packaged utensils.
• Plexiglass shields have been installed at all concession points of sale to protect customers and staff.
• Floor decals have been installed to properly queue lines and maintain social distancing. Fans waiting in line will be asked to maintain at least six feet distance from other customers.
• A regular cleaning schedule with an emphasis on disinfecting commonly touched surfaces with antibacterial spray will be employed.
• Eating and drinking is allowed by fans in their seats. Fans can remove their face masks only while actively eating and drinking.

 Restrooms

• • The men's restrooms will allow five guests at a time. The women's restrooms will allow nine guests at the time.
  • Select stalls and urinals will be blocked off to allow for social distancing.
  • A regular cleaning schedule with an emphasis for disinfecting commonly touched surfaces with antibacterial spray is being employed.

 
Fans unable to attend the games in person can watch every home game for free online through the WAC Digital Network at WACDigitalNetwork.com. Links to watch road games are available on the schedule pages at GoUTRGV.com.
 
"Our number one priority is the health and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fans, opponents and officials," UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. "We have been working hand-in-hand with the University's coronavirus task force to create these protocols. We feel confident that this plan will allow us to keep everyone safe as we host our first baseball games in about 11 months."
 
Should any games be canceled, at the end of the season, UTRGV baseball season ticket holders will have the option to either donate the balance paid for those games to the V Club, receive a credit good for 2022 baseball season tickets, or receive a refund.
 
For the latest updates about game day, visit GoUTRGV.com/game-day.
 
For the latest updates from UTRGV, visit UTRGV.edu/coronavirus.

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