Baseball

Four Sun Belt Programs Bound for NCAA Baseball Regionals

NEW ORLEANS, La. — For the first time since 2013, four Sun Belt baseball programs will represent the conference in NCAA Baseball Regionals from June 3-6. The Sun Belt is 1-of-5 conferences with four-or-more teams in the NCAA field, joining the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12. 
 
Entering postseason play, the Sun Belt boasts the No. 6 RPI in the nation—trailing only the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA. Three Sun Belt programs currently rank among the Top 30 in the RPI—Georgia Southern (11 RPI), Texas State (26 RPI) and Coastal Carolina (30 RPI)—with seven sitting among the Top 100. 
 
Sun Belt regular-season and tournament runner-up Georgia Southern (40-18) earned the right to host the Statesboro Regional at J.I. Clements Stadium as the No. 16 national seed. The Eagles, who are making their 14th all-time NCAA appearance and first since 2014, will take on SoCon tournament champion UNC Greensboro (34-28) in their regional opener. Texas Tech (37-20) and Notre Dame (35-14) will also join the Eagles in Statesboro, Ga.
 
Sun Belt regular-season champion Texas State (45-12) is headed to the Stanford Regional at Sunken Diamond. The Bobcats, who are making their sixth all-time NCAA appearance and first since 2011, will square off against Big West tournament champion UC Santa Barbara (43-12) in their regional opener. No. 2 overall seed and Pac-12 tournament champion Stanford (41-14) and America East tournament champion Binghamton (22-28) will also compete in Stanford, Calif. 
 
Sun Belt tournament champion Louisiana (36-21) is bound for the College Station Regional at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. The Ragin’ Cajuns will open their 17th all-time NCAA appearance—and first since 2016—against TCU (36-20). No. 5 overall seed Texas A&M (37-18) and Summit League tournament champion Oral Roberts (38-18) will also compete in College Station, Texas. 
 
Coastal Carolina (36-18-1) is headed to the Greenville Regional at Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Chanticleers will commence their 18th all-time NCAA appearance—and their third in the last four events—against Virginia (38-17). No. 8 overall seed and American tournament champion East Carolina (42-18) and MEAC tournament champion Coppin State (24-28) will also compete in Greenville, S.C.
 
Sun Belt baseball programs have now earned 18 NCAA berths over the past 10 seasons. 
 
The winner of each double-elimination regional tournament will compete in NCAA Super Regionals from June 10-13, with the Super Regional victors advancing to the 2022 College World Series in Omaha, Neb., from June 17-27.