HENDERSON, Nev. (January 24, 2020) – The nationally-acclaimed College of Southern Nevada baseball program will open its 2020 season this weekend on the road, beginning the program's quest for continued success in the new year.
 
After a 2019 season that featured a Scenic West Athletic Conference and Region 18 title victory, the Coyotes are ranked at No. 12 in the NJCAA preseason polls and will open the season with a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday against Arizona Western College. The three-game series will prep CSN for the following weekend's 'Manny Guerra Memorial Coyote Border Battle – Presented by Sunset Station Hotel-and-Casino', which will feature teams from around the West.
 
CSN coach Nick Garritano said his program is excited to open the 2020 season.
 
"Opening Day is always an exciting day for everyone in the country," he said. "It seems to have come quite quickly this year with the start date being moved up a week this year. This year will be a little different for us as this will be the first time in 20 years CSN has opened on the road."
 
Arizona Western will provide a good measuring stick for the Coyotes, after going 38-18 in the 2020 season. The Matadors are annually a strong program in the ACCAC.
 
Garritano said his team will be prepared for the challenge of Arizona Western.
 
"This weekend should present a great opportunity for our guys to grow up in a hurry as we face a very well-coached Arizona Western College ball club," he said. "The first three weeks of our schedule will represent a huge challenge for us. We play a bunch of traditionally strong Arizona clubs. The hopes are always to get better against the best competition in the Western Region of the NJCAA."
 
Saturday's games will be played at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m in Yuma, Ariz. All games of the following week's CSN-hosted tourney will be played at Morse Stadium.