ELON, N.C. -- The 2008 Southern Conference Champion Elon Phoenix baseball team gathered with nearly 80 fans to learn that it will be heading to the Cary Regional for the 2008 NCAA Division I National Baseball Tournament. Elon will be the number three seed in the region and will take on second-seeded UNC Wilmington in its first game on Friday. The region's top seed and host will be North Carolina who will take on fourth-seeded Mount St. Mary's of Maryland. Elon will play at 2 p.m.
Elon faced both UNC Wilmington and North Carolina during the regular season, splitting two games with the Seahawks and winning the lone contest against the Tar Heels. In total, the Phoenix played five teams that earned spots in the tournament and went 3-5 against those teams. Elon was 1-0 vs. North Carolina, 1-1 vs. UNCW, 0-1 vs. Coastal Carolina, 0-1 vs. North Carolina State and 1-2 vs. East Carolina.
"I think we have an advantage in knowing the field at Cary," stated Elon head coach Mike Kennedy. "It is good for our fans and hopefully we can get some support for our squad."
Of his team's first match-up with UNCW, Kennedy said, "I think we are two evenly matched teams. It will come down to pitching."
The Phoenix enters its third-ever NCAA Division I Regional with a 43-16 record. Its nine-game winning streak is currently the third-best in the nation. Elon earned the SoCon's automatic bid by defeating College of Charleston 17-8 in Sunday's tournament title game.
UNC Wilmington won the regular season title in the Colonial Athletic Association, but was upended in a 14-9 decision against George Mason. The Seahawks enter the regional with a record of 42-15-1. Elon won a 7-4 contest in Wilmington, but dropped an 18-16 game at home to UNCW this year.
North Carolina, ranked number one in the nation a week ago, went 1-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference tournament action, but is the overall number two seed in the tournament. The Tar Heels own a 46-12 record. Their lone shutout loss came at the hands of the Phoenix earlier this season by a 2-0 margin.
Mount St. Mary's won four consecutive games out of the loser's bracket to claim the Northeast Conference tournament title and automatic bid. The Mountaineers are 21-32 entering the weekend.
The regional is a double-elimination format with games beginning on Friday, May 30.
General public parking spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in the main stadium lot at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. No RVs or campers will be allowed. The main lot will open to the general public four hours before the first game each day. Overflow parking will be available in the softball lot approximately a quarter-mile from the main entrance.
Gates will open two hours before the first game each day and the stadium will be cleared between games per NCAA regulations.
Check back to elonphoenix.com for ticket information.
-- ELON --
