Pairings Announced For 2010 Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament
ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Wingate University Bulldogs, who claimed their first conference championship since 2000, are the top seed for the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament, which kicks off Thursday at McNair Field in Forest City, N.C.
Wingate, 28-16 overall with one non-conference game remaining Sunday and 19-5 in conference play, captured its fifth conference title in school history. The Bulldogs will face sixth-seed Lincoln Memorial University in the tournament's opening game on Thursday at noon.
The Railsplitters went 12-12 in conference play, securing the sixth seed on Saturday with a split against Lenoir-Rhyne University. LMU, 24-22 overall, is making its first appearance in the SAC baseball tournament and first conference tournament appearance since 1998.
Mars Hill College and Catawba College tied for second in the conference standings with 16-8 records. Mars Hill earned the second seed by virtue of its three-game sweep over Catawba earlier this season.
The Lions, 27-15 overall, will face fifth-seed Tusculum College in Thursday's opening-round action at 3:45 p.m. The Pioneers are 29-16 overall and 13-11 in the SAC.
Catawba, 16-8 in the SAC and 34-9 overall with one non-conference game remaining, is the third seed and will face fourth-seed Carson-Newman College in the nightcap game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles went 15-9 in the SAC and are 29-15 overall. The Catawba Indians won two of three in their conference series against Carson-Newman this weekend.
The Indians, ranked 28th nationally by Collegiate Baseball, are the tournament's defending champion.
The top six teams in the conference earned berths to the Food Lion SAC Tournament. The bracket format follows the NCAA regional six-team bracket.
Tournament play continues with three games on Friday with games at noon, 3:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Three more games are set for Saturday. The championship game will be played Sunday at 1 p.m., with a second game, if necessary, to follow.
The tournament champion will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.
All-Tournament tickets will be available at the gate for $15 for adults and $7 for children and students. Daily ticket prices are $6 for adults and $3 for children and students.
Food Lion is the title sponsor for all South Atlantic Conference championships.
For information on visiting Forest City, N.C., follow the links.
Forest City Owls (McNair Field)
Thursday, April 22
Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament
At McNair Field, Forest City, N.C.
Game 1: No. 1 Wingate vs. No. 6 Lincoln Memorial, Noon
Game 2: No. 2 Mars Hill vs. No. 5 Tusculum, 3:45 pm
Game 3: No. 3 Catawba vs. No. 4 Carson-Newman, 7:30 pm
Friday, April 23
Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament
At McNair Field, Forest City, N.C.
Game 4: Wingate/Lincoln Memorial loser vs. Mars Hill/Tusculum
loser, Noon
Game 5: Wingate/Lincoln Memorial winner vs. Catawba/Carson-Newman
loser, 3:45 p.m.
Game 6: Mars Hill/Tusculum winner vs. Catawba/Carson-Newman winner,
7:30 pm
Saturday, April 24
Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament
At McNair Field, Forest City, N.C.
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, Noon *
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 3:45 pm *
Game 9: Game 8 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 7:30 pm *
Sunday, April 25
Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament
At McNair Field, Forest City, N.C.
Championship Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1 pm *
Game 11 (if necessary), Game 10 winner vs. Game 10 loser, 4 pm
* If five teams remain after Game 6, and two after Game 9 OR If
five teams remain after Game 6, and three after Game 9, then
alternate brackets will be used.