May 31, 2010
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech, which was awarded a No. 8 national seed, will host Alabama (37-22), Elon (38-22) and Mercer (37-22) this weekend in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament’s Atlanta Regional.
The double-elimination regional begins Friday at 3 p.m. when No. 2 seed Alabama plays No. 3 seed Elon. No. 1 seed Georgia Tech plays No. 4 seed Mercer Friday at 7 p.m. The losers of Friday’s games will play Saturday at 3 p.m. and the winners of Friday’s games will square off Saturday at 7 p.m.
“We are thrilled to be hosting a regional for the second straight year,” head coach Danny Hall said. “Georgia Tech fans have always rallied around our team, and been there year after year to support us. We have to come out and play well on all phases, and do the little things in order to win.”
The winner of the Atlanta Regional will advance to one of eight two-team Super Regionals, which will ultimately determine the eight-team field for the College World Series.
Georgia Tech (45-13) was one of eight Atlantic Coast Conference teams to receive an NCAA Tournament bid. The Pac 10 and Southeastern Conference also had eight teams to earn berths.
The Yellow Jackets will play in-state rival Mercer Friday evening. Tech swept a pair of regular season games from the Bears, winning 15-8 in Macon on March 23 and 19-4 in Atlanta on March 24.
Elon is playing in the Atlanta Regional for the second straight year. Georgia Tech is 4-0 all-time against Elon including an 8-4 victory exactly one year ago today.
Alabama, the No. 2 seed, was the runner-up to LSU in last week’s SEC Tournament. The Yellow Jackets and Crimson Tide have not met on the baseball diamond since 1996 and have not met in the NCAA postseason since 1991. Alabama leads the all-time series 36-28-1 and the Yellow Jackets have not defeated the Tide since 1986.
Arizona State is the NCAA Tournament’s overall No. 1 seed.
Georgia Tech, 45-13 after going 1-2 in the ACC Tournament last week, will make its 24th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 26 years and its 26th NCAA appearance overall.
Russ Chandler Stadium will host a regional for the eighth time in the last 11 years. Georgia Tech will host NCAA postseason play for the 11th time overall.
The Yellow Jackets will host a regional for the second straight year, losing last year to Southern Mississippi in the championship round. Five times Tech has won a regional that it has hosted, advancing to a Super Regional. Twice – in 2002 and 2006 – the Yellow Jackets went on to the College World Series after hosting a regional.
“We are really excited to not only be hosting a regional, but to also get a top-eight national seed,” senior captain Jay Dantzler said. “We are very comfortable playing at home, and to have a home crowd that can bring us energy is always an advantage. We still have the regional final loss (to Southern Miss) from last year in the back of our minds, and we have worked so hard this year to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Tech is 24-15 all-time when hosting a regional, and the Yellow Jackets are 59-51 all-time in NCAA Tournament play overall.
Georgia Tech is one of three ACC school’s awarded regional sites, joining Virginia and Miami. The SEC led all conferences with four host selections.
The 16 regional sites, with host institutions and records are as follows: Arizona State (47-8), Tempe, Ariz.; Arkansas (40-18), Fayetteville, Ark.; Auburn (40-19), Auburn, Ala.; Cal State Fullerton (40-15 through Saturday, May 29), Fullerton, Calif.; Coastal Carolina (51-7), Conway, S.C.; Connecticut (47-14), Storrs, Conn.; Florida (42-15), Gainesville, Fla.; Georgia Tech (45-13), Atlanta; Louisville (48-12), Louisville, Ky.; Miami (Florida) (40-17), Coral Gables, Fla.; Oklahoma (44-15), Norman, Okla.; South Carolina (43-15), Columbia, S.C.; Texas (46-11), Austin, Texas; TCU (46-11), Fort Worth, Texas; UCLA (42-13), Los Angeles; Virginia (47-11), Charlottesville, Va.
Ticket Information
• Current Georgia Tech baseball season ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase their same seats on Tuesday, June 1 (from 8:30am – 5:00pm).
• The ticket office will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day and will re-open on Tuesday at 8:30am.
• Season ticket holders should purchase via the telephone at 404-894-5447 or 888-TECH-TIX or in person at the Athletic Ticket Office (located on the NE Corner of Bobby Dodd Stadium); season ticket locations will not be available via the internet.
• Season ticket locations not purchased by 5:00pm on Tuesday will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday.
2010 Atlanta Regional Bracket
Friday, June 4
Game 2 – Alabama (home team) vs. Elon (visitors), 3 p.m.
Game 1 – Georgia Tech (home team) vs. Mercer (visitors), 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 5
Game 3 – Loser, Game 1 vs. Loser, Game 2, 3 p.m.*
Game 4 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner, Game 2, 7 p.m.*
Sunday, June 6
Game 5 – Winner, Game 3 vs. Loser, Game 4, 3 p.m.*
Game 6 – Winner, Game 4 vs. Winner, Game 5, 7 p.m.*
Monday, June 7 (if necessary)
Game 7 – Winner, Game 6 vs. Loser, Game 6, 7 p.m.*
* Home and Visitors TBA.
