HOUSTON, TX -- The 21st annual Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, which will be held at Minute Maid Park this weekend, features six Texas programs, including two that are ranked in the top 25 nationally by Baseball America: TCU (#10), Texas Tech (#11), Rice, Sam Houston, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas State.

This year’s field is unique to the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic and marks just the fourth time for the tournament to host all Texas programs, also in 2001, 2014 and 2019.

The 2021 tournament marks the sixth year for it to carry the name Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic, which has been set forth by a multi-year naming rights agreement between the Astros Foundation and Shriners Hospitals for Children®. The Astros Foundation operates the tournament and will donate a portion of each ticket sale directly to Shriners Hospitals for Children as well as provide other fundraising and awareness opportunities.

TICKETS AND FAN ACCESS

A limited number of individual game tickets and three-day tournament passes are available for purchase at Astros.com/CollegeClassic. There are new safety guidelines and regulations in place for the tournament. Below are a few of these guidelines:

• No bags will be allowed in the venue for this event.
• Fans may enter the ballpark through the Home Plate and South Home Plate Entrances along Texas Avenue.
• Only digital tickets will be accepted.
• Masks are required at all times within Minute Maid Park unless actively eating or drinking. Face shields will not be allowed in place of a mask.
• Social distancing is required when moving throughout the ballpark. We encourage a 6’ distance between you and others.
• There is no re-entry.

HOW TO WATCH AND STREAM

All nine games of the tournament will be televised by AT&T SportsNet SW and streamed on Astros.com, MLB.com, the AT&T SportsNet app and the MLB app. AT&T SportsNet SW is available in the Astros five-state viewing area. Fans are asked to check local listings for more information.

MEDIA INFORMATION

If you have not done so already, please submit your credential requests before games begin on Friday. Those can be sent via email to Chris Peixoto at [email protected].

For the entire weekend, media parking is available in the Astros Lot A. The lot is off of Texas Ave. on the south side of the stadium and available to all who have been approved for credentials. There will be a parking list with an attendant each day.

Credentials can be picked up beginning Thursday from the First Base Entrance. To get to the press box, take the First Base elevator up to the club level and walk towards home plate.

BATTING PRACTICE SCHEDULE

All six clubs will take batting practice on Thursday at Minute Maid Park, which is open to the media, but closed to the public. Tournament credentials will allow media access into the stadium for batting practice, but not on the field. The schedule for Thursday’s batting practice is as follows:

1-1:55 p.m.                        Rice                       

2-2:55 p.m.                       Sam Houston    

3-3:55 p.m.                       TCU                       

4-4:55 p.m.                       Texas State                        

5-5:55 p.m.                        Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

6-6:55 p.m.                        Texas Tech

2021 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic Schedule*

Friday, March 5

Sam Houston vs. Rice, 11:05 a.m.

TAMU-Corpus Christi vs. TCU, 3:05 p.m.

Texas State vs. Texas Tech, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, March 6

Rice vs. TAMU-Corpus Christi, 11:05 a.m.

Texas Tech vs. Sam Houston, 3:05 p.m.

Texas State vs. TCU, 7:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 7

TAMU-Corpus Christi vs. Texas Tech, 11:05 a.m.

TCU vs. Sam Houston, 3:05 p.m.

Rice vs. Texas State, 7:05 p.m.

(home teams listed second)

* - times subject to change

About the Houston Astros Foundation

The Astros Foundation is the official 501(c)(3) team charity of the Houston Astros. We seek to harness the passion of our fans to support youth sports and education programs, the recognition/honor of our nation’s military, childhood cancer and domestic violence awareness and efforts to reduce homelessness. Our cornerstone initiatives include the Community Leaders program, the Astros MLB Youth Academy and the Astros RBI Program. (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).

About Shriners Hospitals for Children

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a health care system with locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Our staff is dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, conducting innovative research, and offering outstanding educational programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care, regardless of the families’ ability to pay. Within these broad service lines, many types of care are provided. For example, some locations offer reconstructive plastic surgery, treatment for craniofacial abnormalities or care for sports injuries. Generally, care is provided until age 18, although, in some cases, it may be extended to age 21. All services are provided in a compassionate, family-centered environment. For more information, please visit shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.