HOUSTON, TX - The Astros will host the 10th annual Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park this weekend (Feb. 11-13). The tournament will feature six NCAA Division II universities, squaring off in nine games across the three days.

The tournament field features the University of Central Missouri, which co-hosts the event with the Astros, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas-Monticello, Augustana University (SD), Maryville (MO) and St. Mary’s (TX). Central Missouri, which lost in the Division II Championship Game last year, enters this season ranking third in the country, per the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

Central Missouri, which has co-hosted the tournament since its inception, is the alma-mater of Astros Owner and Chairman Jim Crane, who was a standout baseball player in his college career. He played 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 fourth in strikeouts (215). He still holds the Mules single-game strikeout record of 18, which is also 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.

For more information on the tournament or to purchase tickets, please visit Astros.com/Invitational.

2022 Houston Winter Invitational Schedule (times subject to change).

Friday, Feb. 11
Arkansas Tech vs. Augustana, 10 a.m.
Arkansas-Monticello vs. Central Missouri, 1:30 p.m.
Maryville vs. Central Missouri, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 12
Augustana vs. Arkansas-Monticello, 10 a.m.
St. Mary’s vs. Central Missouri, 1:30 p.m.
Arkansas Tech vs. Maryville, 5 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 13
Arkansas-Monticello vs. Maryville, 10 a.m.
Augustana vs. Central Missouri, 1:30 p.m.
St. Mary’s vs. Arkansas Tech, 5 p.m.