ATHENS — Georgia will open against Campbell on Friday in the opening game of the Athens Regional as part of the 2018 NCAA Baseball Championships.
The Bulldogs are the top seed in the Athens Regional and also are the No. 8 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Also in the Athens Regional will be No. 2 seed Duke and No. 3 seed Troy. The regional is a double-elimination format that could runt hrough Monday.
Duke and Troy will open the regional wih a 2 p.m. first pitch at Foley Field on Friday. Georgia and Campbell will follow with a 7:30 p.m. first pitch.
The Bulldogs are making their 11th overall appearance in an NCAA Regional including their fifth as a regional host at Foley Field. The Bulldogs have won all four previous regionals in Athens, advancing in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
“We are excited to be in the NCAA Tournament and having an opportunity to host is a credit to how the team has performed this year along with the support of our fans and administration,” said Georgia head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. “We look forward to playing again at Foley Field in front of our fans as they’ve done an outstanding job cheering us on all season.”
Georgia returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011, and the first under Stricklin. The Bulldogs are 37-19 overall and tied for the second-best league record in the SEC this year at 18-12. Currently, they are No. 9 in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), according to the NCAA.
There are 16 four-team regionals that comprise the field of 64. The NCAA Tournament field of 64, the top 16 seeds and the bracket were released Monday. If a team wins its regional, and it is a top eight national seed, it would play host to a Super Regional, June 8-11. In Super Regional action, eight sites play host to a best-of-three game series with the winners earning one of eight spots to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. (June 16-27).
2018 NCAA Baseball Athens Regional Schedule (All Times Eastern)
Friday, June 1
Game 1 — No. 2 Duke vs. No. 3 vs. Troy - 2 p.m.
Game 2 — No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Campbell – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 2
Game 3 — Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2
Game 4 — Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
Sunday, June 3
Game 5 — Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4
Game 6 — Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 4
Monday, June 4
Game 7 — If necessary
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/5/675244/diamond-dogs-to-host-regional-for-first-time-since-2008