Patriots will host regional NCAA Diamond Dance
FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University has been tabbed as the top seed and host for this week’s NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Baseball Tournament. The six-team, double-elimination tournament will played Thursday through Sunday (May 13-16) on FMU’s Clifford S. Cormell Field.
The Patriots, who are ranked fifth in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division II Top 30 poll, own a 38-12 record and will face sixth-seeded and 20th-ranked Erskine College (40-15) in Thursday’s final contest at 7 p.m.
Thursday’s two other opening-round games will have third-seeded and eighth-ranked Georgia College & State University (35-15) playing fourth-seeded and sixth-ranked Mount Olive College (40-9) at 11 a.m. and second-seeded and 10th-ranked Columbus State University (42-10) meeting fifth-seeded and 23rd-ranked Catawba College (40-11) at 3 p.m.
The regional winner advances to the Division II World Series, May 22-29, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. Lynn University is the defending national champion, while Mount Olive won the 2008 title.
The Southeast Regional could arguably be the toughest regional in the nation as it is the lone one to boast four teams ranked in the Top 10.
If FMU wins its opening game, the Patriots will play the GCSU/Mount Olive loser on Friday at 3 p.m. A Patriot loss to Erskine would place FMU in the losers’ bracket against the CSU/Catawba loser on Friday at 11 a.m.
This will be Francis Marion’s sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament, and fifth in the past eight seasons. Head coach Art Inabinet guided the 2006 Patriot squad to a 41-18 mark, the regional championship, and the school’s only appearance in the World Series. Last year, FMU was 2-2 in the Southeast Regional.
The 48-team NCAA Division II National Tournament field was released late Sunday (May 9) night. The tournament consists of eight regionals. Nineteen teams, including CSU (Peach Belt Conference), Mount Olive (Conference Carolinas), and Catawba College (South Atlantic Conference), earned automatic berths by winning their conference titles. Francis Marion received one of the 29 at-large invitations.
The Patriots were 4-4 during the regular season against teams in the regional tournament, including a split of two games against Erskine to open the 2010 season.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, MAY 13
Game #3 11:00
am #3 Georgia College & State
Univ. vs. #4 Mount Olive College
Game #2 3:00
pm #2 Columbus State
University vs. #5 Catawba College
Game #1 7:00
pm #1 Francis Marion
University vs. #6 Erskine College
FRIDAY, MAY 14
Game #4 11:00
am Loser of Game
#1 vs.
Loser of Game # 2
Game #5 3:00
pm Winner of Game
#1 vs. Loser of Game
#3
Game #6 7:00
pm Winner of Game
#2 vs. Winner of Game #3
SATURDAY, MAY 15 (If four teams remain after day
two)
Game #7 11:00
am Winner of
Game 5
vs. Winner of Game
#6
Game #8 3:00
pm
Winner of Game #4
vs. Loser of Game
#6
Game #9 7:00
pm
Loser of Game #7
vs. Winner of Game #8
SUNDAY, MAY 16 (If four teams remain after day
2)
Game #10 1:00 pm
Winner of Game #7
vs. Winner of Game #
9
Game #11 (if needed) 4:00 pm Winner of
Game #10
vs. Loser of Game # 10
SATURDAY, MAY 15 (If five teams remain after Game 6 and
two after Game 9)
Game #7 11:00
am Loser of
Game #5
vs. Loser of Game #6
Game #8 3:00
pm
Winner of Game #5
vs. Winner of Game
#4
Game #9 7:00
pm
Winner of Game #7
vs. Winner of Game
#6
SUNDAY, MAY 16 (If five teams remain after
Game 6 and two after Game 9)
Game #10 1:00 pm
Winner of Game #9
vs. Winner of Game #
8
Game #11 (if needed) 4:00 pm Winner of Game
#10 vs.
Loser of Game #10
SATURDAY, MAY 15 (If five teams remain after Game 6 and
three after Game 9)
Game #7 11:00
am Loser of
Game #5
vs. Loser of Game #6
Game #8 3:00
pm
Winner of Game #5
vs. Winner of Game
#4
Game #9 7:00
pm
Winner of Game #7
vs. Winner of Game
#6
SUNDAY, MAY 16 (If five teams remain after
Game 6 and three after Game 9)
Game #10 1:00
pm
Loser of Game #9
vs. Winner of Game #
8
Game #11 4:00
pm
Winner of Game #9
vs. Winner of Game # 10
