Baseball Claims No. 3 Seed In NCAA Regional
May 26, 2008
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The tension in the Milton J. “Mickey” Retif, Jr. Memorial Clubhouse was so thick on Monday that you could cut it with a knife.
After going 36-18-1 during the regular season and going 1-2 in the 2008 Entergy Conference USA Baseball Championship at home at the new Greer Field at Turchin Stadium, the Tulane University baseball team’s postseason chances laid in the hands of the NCAA Selection Committee.
But less than 15 minutes into the 11:30 a.m. selection show, the calm and subdued atmosphere was shifted to cheers and high fives as the Green Wave claimed the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Tallahassee (Fla.) Regional at Dick Howser Stadium on the campus of Florida State University.
“It’s just really good to be back in the NCAA tournament,” Tulane head coach Rick Jones said. “Last year, missing out for the first time in 10 years, that’s a depressing thing. To get back in and have a chance to go to a real good seed - now we are going to a national seed in Florida State and playing a great Florida team - but just to be back in is where we need to be and where we are used to being. It’s good to be back.
“They key is to get into the NCAA tournament. We play every year to get into the NCAA. Your goal then is to play your best baseball when you get in.”
Tulane will take on second-seeded Florida (34-22, 17-13 SEC) at noon (CDT) to open Regional play, and is joined in the Regional by host and No. 4 national seed Florida State (48-10, 24-6 ACC) and fourth-seeded Bucknell (29-22-2, 10-10 Patriot League).
The Green Wave’s Regional bid is the 19th overall - all since 1979 - and the 12th in 15 seasons under Jones. Tulane saw its string of nine consecutive NCAA Regional appearances end in 2007, but the Wave look to start a new streak after earning a bid this year.
