Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville are set to represent the Lone Star Conference in the 2012 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, as part of the South Central Regional field in Warrensburg, Mo.
ASU, the LSC regular season and tournament champions, is the third seed, while TAMUK is the fifth seed in the double-elimination six-team event to be played May 17-20. Both teams are making their third regional appearance.
The Rams, who have won 12 of its last 14 games, open the tournament against No. 4 Southern Arkansas on Thursday at 7 p.m. ASU is 0-2 all-time against SAU, including a 7-0 loss this season that snapped a six-game winning streak to start the year.
The Javelinas face No. 2 St. Mary’s Thursday at 11 a.m. in first-round action. TAMUK and STMU split a pair of games during the regular season. The Javelinas won 10-1 in Kingsville, while the Rattlers won 10-0 in San Antonio.
Central Missouri is the regional’s top seed and will play No. 6 St. Edward's Thursday at 3 p.m.
Regional champions will advance to the double-elimination championship finals May 26-June 2 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C. The finals will be hosted by Mount Olive and the town of Cary, N.C. This year marks the 45th annual championship, and the fourth consecutive year that the finals have been held in Cary, N.C.
In the 2011 championship, West Florida captured its first national championship title with a 12-2 victory against Winona State.
South Central Regional at Warrensburg, Mo.
1 *Central Missouri 44-7
2 St. Mary’s (Texas) 44-8
3 Angelo State 40-15
4 Southern Arkansas 36-15
5 Texas A&M-Kingsville 31-16
6 St. Edward’s 35-14
Thursday, May 17
11:00 a.m. – No. 2 St. Mary’s vs. No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville
3:00 p.m. – No. 1 Central Missouri vs. No. 6 St. Edward’s
7:00 p.m. – No. 3 Angelo State vs. No. 4 Southern Arkansas