March 5, 2004

AMHERST, Mass. - The season-opener for the University of Massachusetts baseball team slated for Saturday, March 6 at Rider, has been postponed one day due to weather. The teams will instead play a doubleheader, beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 7th. The first game will be a nine-inning affair, followed by a seven-inning set.

UMass head coach Mike Stone has 499 career wins and will look for No. 500 on Sunday. In addition, Stone is the all-time winningest coach among active Division I skippers in New England. He currently holds an overall record of 499-302-2 (.560) in 21 seasons as a head coach including a 445-302-2 (.595) mark in 16 seasons at the helm of the Minutemen.

Since his hiring as head coach at UMass in 1988, Stone has led the Minutemen to eight Atlantic 10 regular season titles, two Atlantic 10 Tournament crowns and two NCAA Tournament appearances. He has also guided the Minutemen to the championship of the Beanpot Baseball Classic four times in the last eight seasons. Stone became the all-time winningest coach in UMass history when the Minutemen swept a doubleheader from Saint Joseph's on May 8, 2001.