HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros will host the 12th annual Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park next month, from Feb. 2-4. The tournament will feature six NCAA Division II universities, squaring off in nine games across the three days. Tickets for the tournament are now available for purchase at Astros.com/WinterInvitational.
The tournament field features the University of Central Missouri, which co-hosts the event each year with the Astros, Arkansas Tech, Millersville (PA), Southern New Hampshire, St. Cloud State (MN) and the University of Tampa. Four of the participating teams finished within the top 15 teams in the 2023 Collegiate Baseball Magazine final rankings, with Southern New Hampshire (#4) leading Millersville (#6), Tampa (#9) and Central Missouri (#14).
Central Missouri is the alma-mater of Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane, who was a standout right-handed pitcher in his college career. He pitched for the Mules from 1973-76, posting a 21-8 record with a career 2.42 ERA. Crane still ranks atop the Central Missouri career leaderboards in complete games (23) and shutouts (7) and ranks fifth in strikeouts (215). He still holds the Mules single-game strikeout record of 18, which at the time, set a DII College World Series record. Crane was inducted into the University of Central Missouri Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997, and earned an induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Crane contributes to Central Missouri annually to provide athletic scholarships for Mules baseball. Additionally, Crane was the primary underwriter of a $1.2 million renovation in 1998 of the old Mules Field on the University of Central Missouri campus, which has since been renamed the James R. Crane Stadium. In 2016, Crane and the UCM Foundation upgraded the university’s baseball facility with a new synthetic turf playing surface. In 2021, a lead gift from Crane paved the way for the new Mules Baseball Clubhouse which features an MLB-style layout for the baseball program.
Media are welcome to cover the tournament, but must do so with approved credentials, which can be applied for through MLB’s online credentialing system at Credentials.MLB.com. With any questions on accessing the credential system, please reach out to Steve Grande at sgrande@astros.com.
2024 Houston Winter Invitational Schedule (times subject to change) (home teams listed second)
Friday, Feb. 2
10 a.m. St. Cloud State vs. Southern New Hampshire
1:30 p.m. Tampa vs. Arkansas Tech
5 p.m. Millersville vs. Central Missouri
Saturday, Feb. 3
10 a.m. Millersville vs. Tampa
1:30 p.m. Central Missouri vs. Southern New Hampshire
5 p.m. Arkansas Tech vs. St. Cloud State
Sunday, Feb. 4
10 a.m. St Cloud State vs. Millersville
1:30 p.m. Tampa vs. Central Missouri
5 p.m. Arkansas Tech vs. Southern New Hampshire