The first official game of the Frank Catalanotto era as head coach of NYIT baseball will be held in Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Feb. 22, against Concordia.
The Bears also will play games against Le Moyne, Franklin Pierce and Stonehill during the season-opening weekend trip to the Palmetto State.
NYIT then hosts Franklin Pierce and Le Moyne for doubleheaders and Adelphi for a single game at Angelo Lorenzo Memorial Field before returning south to play five games in early March in Osceola County, Florida, against to-be-determined Division II competition.
The first East Coast Conference game under Catalanotto will be played March 22 against Molloy in Rockville Centre.
NYIT Athletics released the 2019 baseball schedule on Tuesday.
NYIT, in its second season competing in the ECC, will host the league’s four-team double-elimination tournament from May 9 to 11 at Angelo Lorenzo Memorial Field.
Catalanotto, a Smithtown native and 14-year major league veteran, was hired to lead NYIT’s baseball program last summer. He swiftly added assistant coaches Jimmy Goelz, Chris Rojas and Ray Giannelli — all NYIT alums with significant professional experience at the highest levels — to join returnee Frank Battaglia on the staff.
After more than three decades competing at the Division I level, NYIT baseball moved to D-II and the ECC last season.