Upcoming Baseball Events

[UPDATE: THE CARDINAL AND GOLD SERIES HAS BEEN MOVED UP. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.]

They say baseball season is like a marathon, but maybe it's more like an ultra-marathon. The MLB World Series just ended and USC is already ramping up its pre-preseason events ...

• The Cardinal and Gold Series, an intrasquad scrimmage comprising two games, takes place this week at Dedeaux Field. Opening pitch is Thursday, Nov. 1 at 3 p.m., followed by a second game on Friday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. Both are free and open to the public ... The series mark the end of fall practice. The team will regroup February and start the season later that month. A full schedule is available here.
• Head Coach Chad Kreuter will speak at Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The first 200 baseball fans who RSVP get free admission, food, drinks and maybe even a couple of rounds of golf. Kreuter will discuss the 2008 season and the Trojan Baseball Classic Golf Tournament -- then he'll raffle away a couple of free entries. RSVP by 8 p.m. on Oct. 30 (that's today) to (213) 740-2733.
• The Sonora Cafe Hot Stove League is a speaker series that provides fans an intimate encounter with key figures in baseball history. Pete Rose will be at the first one on Nov. 5. At $500, it's not cheap, but seating is limited to 55 guests and the package includes three events. Proceeds will be put toward new facilities being built for the school's baseball team. More information is available on USC's website.
• USC's next recruiting class will be announced on Nov. 14.
• The aforementioned golf tournament fundraiser will be at Dove Canyon Country Club on Nov. 19. For more information or to register, click here.