FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HART PARK TO HOST BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS BEGINNING WEDNESDAY

ORANGE, Calif. – For the fourth consecutive year and sixth time in the last seven years, Chapman University and Hart Park will be the site of the NCAA Division III West Region baseball playoffs. Chapman, seeded No. 3 in the tournament, will face No. 4 seed Cal State East Bay at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the first round of the double-elimination tournament. Also invited to the six-team regional was No. 1 Redlands, No. 2 Trinity (Tex.), No. 5 Texas Lutheran and No. 6 George Fox (Ore.).

Chapman finished the regular season 27-10 and ranked in the top-10 in Division III all year long and ranked No. 7 in the most recent ABCA/Collegiate Baseball coaches poll (May 2nd). It is the Panthers fourth straight NCAA postseason berth under head coach Tom Tereschuk. The Panthers have won five regional titles (1997, 2000, ’01, ’03, ’05) and one national championship (2003) in the past 10 years.

Top-seeded Redlands (30-9) is making its first NCAA postseason appearance since 1993 after clinching the SCIAC championship two weeks ago. The Bulldogs will face George Fox (27-13) – 2004 national champions – in the tournament’s first game on Wednesday at noon. The Bruins reclaimed the Northwest Conference championship after missing the playoffs in 2005.

SCAC champion Trinity (33-11) will return to Orange for the first time since falling in the 2004 West Region championship finals to George Fox. The No. 2 seeded Tigers will face interstate-rival Texas Lutheran (32-11-1) on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. The Bulldogs surprised many by advancing to the West Region finals last May in their first-ever NCAA postseason appearance. Texas Lutheran is back after winning back-to-back American Southwest Conference championships.

Chapman took 2-of-3 from Cal State East Bay (24-10) at Hart Park earlier this season. The Pioneers are making their third NCAA postseason appearance as a Pool ‘B’ at-large selection, like Chapman.

NCAA Division III West Region Championship Schedule
 
Wednesday, May 17
Game 1: #1 Redlands vs. #6 George Fox (Ore.); 12 p.m.
Game 2: #2 Trinity (Tex.) vs. #5 Texas Lutheran; 3:30 p.m.
Game 3: #3 Chapman vs. #4 Cal State Hayward; 7 p.m.
 
Thursday, May 18
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2; 12 p.m. (elimination game)
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 3; 3:30 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3; 7 p.m.
 
(if four teams remain after Game 6)
Friday, May 19
Game 7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6; 12 p.m.
Game 8: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 6; 3:30 p.m. (elimination game)
Game 9: Loser of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 8; 7 p.m. (elimination game)
 
Saturday, May 20
Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9; 12 p.m.
Game 11: Winner of Game 10 vs. Loser of Game 10; 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
 
(if five teams remain after Game 6)
Friday, May 19
Game 7: Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6; 12 p.m.(elimination game)
Game 8: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5; 3:30 p.m. (elimination game)
Game 9: Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7; 7 p.m. 
 
(if two teams remain after Game 9)
Saturday, May 20
Game 10: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9; 12 p.m.
Game 11: Winner of Game 10 vs. Loser of Game 10; 3:30 p.m. (if necessary)
 
(if three teams remain after Game 9)
Saturday, May 20
Game 10: Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 9; 12 p.m.(elimination game)
Game 11: Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10; 3:30 p.m.

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For more info log on to the NCAA Championships website:
http://www.ncaasports.com/baseball/mens/story/9439692
West Region Brackets: /images/userImages/daiken/Page_9029/brackets.pdf