Hoover Met to host college games

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Birmingham Barons are proud to announce that newly renovated Hoover Metropolitan Stadium will host five area colleges this April. Miles College, UAB, Samford, Alabama, and Auburn will all compete at the Met over the course of the month.

College action will begin at the Hoover Met on April 3, when the Miles College Golden Bears will meet the Birmingham Barons in an exhibition match-up at 7 p.m. The Golden Bears, a perennial contender in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, will take on the Barons in a seven inning game, just two days prior to the Barons' Southern League opener. Tickets for this game will be available on March 15. For information about the game, or for tickets please contact the Miles College Business Office at 205-929-1439.

The following evening, on April 4 at 7 p.m., the UAB Blazers will host the 22nd-ranked Crimson Tide of Alabama in a regular season clash. The Alabama-UAB series began in 1979, with the Crimson Tide holding a 36-13 edge in wins over the course of the rivalry. For ticket information, contact the UAB athletic department or visit www.uabsports.com.

Finally, on April 18, at 7 p.m., the Samford Bulldogs will take on the Auburn Tigers, ranked 17th in the nation this week. Last season the two teams met at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, with the Bulldogs taking a 5-4 decision. For tickets, please contact the Samford athletic department or visit www.samfordsports.com.

The Birmingham Barons will kick off their 2007 season on March 29 with an exhibition game versus their parent club, the Chicago White Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. For more information, please contact the Barons office at 205-988-3200, or visit www.barons.com.