Photo: Kevin Macias is one of the returning Panthers who will lead the team into the opening weekend of the 2016 season in New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Auntwan Riggins era officially gets underway Friday when the Prairie View A&M baseball team plays the first of three games at the Major League Baseball Urban Invitational in New Orleans.
 
The Panthers face Louisiana Tech at Wesley Barrow Stadium on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. PVAMU will also take the field against familiar SWAC opponents Alcorn State and Grambling State this weekend.
 
All three games can be heard on the OpenMic Broadcast Network. Mike Prince will have the call for the Panthers broadcast.
 
The University of New Orleans and the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy will sponsor the event, which returns to the Crescent City for the third consecutive year. The Urban Invitational is part of MLB's efforts to highlight baseball in the inner city and underserved areas.
 
"I think what my team will get out of it is an unforgettable experience to play in an event like this," Riggins said. "With the knowledge they will obtain and the people they're going to meet, I think it's going to be a great deal to our players."
 
According to mlb.com, the round-robin Urban Invitational was "created both to promote and enrich baseball in urban and underserved areas, (and) will also hold a few events designed to appeal to a younger audience."
 
Two newcomers to the Prairie View A&M baseball team – Nick Gurka and Josh Wells – are alumni of the Houston Astros Urban Youth Academy and Astros RBI program (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).
 
The Panthers are led by junior Cody Den Beste, who was named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference's All-Conference First Team.
 
"I think going to an event like this will give our players a chance to show everyone they have the ability to play the game," Riggins said. "With the things we have implemented and the hard work they have put in, they want to show that the things we have put in will work."
 
Saturday's game against Alcorn State will be at UNO's Maestri Field. Sunday's game against Grambling will be at Wesley Barrow Stadium.