Michigan State baseball announced its 2022 schedule Thursday. Head coach Jake Boss Jr. and the Spartans will play a 56-game ledger, opening on Friday, Feb. 18.

MSU will play 21 home games at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field, with the home-opener on Friday, March 19. The home slate is highlighted by hosting in-state rival Michigan in a three-game Big Ten Conference series, one of four B1G series at home, along with Illinois (March 25-27), Minnesota (April 29-May 1) and Iowa (May 13-15).

"We're excited to get back to a 56-game schedule after two years of having an abbreviated schedule due to COVID. Playing 24 conference games again is going to be exciting," Boss said. "We're also looking forward to having 22 home games, which features quality opponents for our terrific fans to come out and cheer us on at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field."

The Spartans' schedule includes some repeat visits to locations, as well as to some places they haven't been in a while or even completely new places.

"We're also going on the road to some places that we've been before, that are familiar to us and our current players, and we're going to some new places for them," Boss said. "UNLV is someplace we haven't been, and Michigan State hasn't been in a long time. So we're excited to go play a good program. Abilene Christian is coming off a great year and should be a heck of a challenge for us.

"Some unique experiences our guys are going to be able to have is going to Minneapolis and playing in US Bank Stadium, that is something that they're never going to forget. Going to Greenville is a staple of our schedule every year, and something that we thoroughly enjoy, getting to play Clemson this year, along with very challenging First Pitch Invitational opponents."

As announced on Nov. 16, the Crosstown Showdown between the Spartans and the Lansing Lugnuts, High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, will resume in 2022, meeting up at Jackson® Field™ on April 6.

"We're excited to play in the Crosstown Showdown again, against the Lansing Lugnuts, and it's just another opportunity for our guys to experience something that they'll never forget as part of our program," Boss said.

The Crosstown Showdown is one of 15 games on the 2022 Spartan schedule in six different professional stadiums, including also facing off with Notre Dame at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan (April 26). 

"Along with the Crosstown Showdown, another great experience for our guys is playing at Comerica Park, and this year, we're fortunate to have Notre Dame come to Detroit to meet us there," Boss said. "Playing an outstanding opponent coming off a great year, in that atmosphere, is going to be something pretty special."

Michigan State will also play at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (March 4-6), Fluor Field in Greenville, South Carolina (March 9-13) for neutral games. MSU will also play at Penn State, who plays at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College, Pennsylvania (May 6-8) and playing at Nebraska, at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska (May 19-21).

"Every one of our guys' dreams is to go play pro baseball and to get a chance to play in those kind of environments, first of all US Bank Stadium, which is certainly unique, but an impressive venue nonetheless, being able to play at a place like Fluor Field, and a place like Jackson Field is something that is hopefully in the cards for a majority of our guys down the road. So it's a great taste the pro ball and hopefully a taste of things to come," Boss said.

Michigan State opens the 2022 slate heading to Las Vegas, Nevada, to face UNLV for a four-game series (Feb. 18-20), marking the first time the Spartans and Rebels have squared off since 2004. MSU and UNLV have meet nine previous times, all in Las Vegas.

MSU then makes a repeat visit to Abilene, Texas to tangle with the Wildcats of Abilene Christian in another four-game series (Feb. 25-27). The Green & White last visited ACU in 2017, sweeping a four-game series to open that season.

Michigan State opens the March portion of the ledger in Minneapolis at the US Bank Stadium, facing off with Kansas (March 4), Notre Dame (March 5) and West Virginia (March 6).

The Spartans make their annual trek to Greenville, S.C. to play at Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, opening with a midweek game against Clemson (March 9). MSU will then host the First Pitch Invitational March 11-13, with Cincinnati, Western Carolina and Notre Dame.

Michigan State's home-opener at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field is on March 18, the first of a season-long nine-game homestand, opening a three-game series against Houston Baptist (March 18-20). After a midweek game against Purdue Fort Wayne (March 23), MSU will open B1G action host Illinois in a three-game series (March 25-27).

"The Big Ten Conference schedule is always a challenge, year-in and year-out, and this year is no different," Boss said. 

The Green & White wrap up the March ledger with single, midweek contests hosting Bowling Green (March 29) and Youngstown State (March 30), before kicking off the April portion on the road at Evansville (April 1-3), in MSU's first trip there since 2011.

"Evansville is a place that we haven't been to in long time, so we're anxious to face them," Boss said.

Michigan State will play the Lansing Lugnuts in the Crosstown Showdown on April 6 in an exhibition. MSU will resume regular-season and B1G action by heading to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State (April 8-10). Returning home to host a six-game homestand, all against in-state foes, starting off with single midweek games against Eastern Michigan (April 12) and Western Michigan (April 13), then a three-game B1G series against Michigan (April 15-17), before wrapping up the homestand and in-state opponent stretch against Oakland (April 19). 

MSU returns to the road to play at Northwestern (April 22-24), before meeting Notre Dame at Comerica Park in Detroit (April 26), and returning home to host Minnesota in a three-game conference series (April 29-May 1). Back on the road for their next five games, the Spartans play at Penn State (May 6-8), Notre Dame (May 10) and Western Michigan (May 11), before returning home for the home finale series against Iowa (May 13-15. 

Michigan State plays at Michigan in a midweek, non-conference contest (May 17), before wrapping up the 2022 regular-season at Nebraska (May 19-21).

The 2022 B1G Tournament is at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska (May 25-29).

The NCAA Regional dates are June 3-5, while the NCAA Super Regionals are June 10-12, with the College World Series slated for June 17-26 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha.