Northern college baseball teams always face a geographical obstacle at the start of the season. The wintry blast of cold temperatures and potential snow immediately start conspiring against teams, and it presents challenges when preparing for the first practice, first trip and first game. The inability to practice outside prevents players from working with a full range of motion, creating a biased perception for teams facing southern opponents without the same issues.
It's an obstacle that drew the same discussion points at Boston College until this year. The Eagles' preseason included the Harrington Athletics Village for the first time, which allowed them to utilize a turf field on unseasonably mild days.