DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It was announced during the NCAA Baseball Selection Show on Monday, May 30, that Bethune-Cookman will travel to the Gainesville [Fla.] Regional for its appearance in the 2016 Division I Baseball Championship. Joining the Wildcats in the Regional will be host Florida, Connecticut and Georgia Tech with action taking place at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman (29-25) earned the automatic qualification to the NCAA Baseball Championships after winning its 18th Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title. For the Wildcats, this will mark the program’s 15th appearance in an NCAA Regional, not including three (3) NCAA play-in appearances. It also marks the fifth time in school history that Bethune-Cookman will travel to the Gainesville [Fla.] Regional, with the last being a visit in 2012 – the first NCAA postseason appearance under current head coach Jason Beverlin.
The Wildcats enter the weekend having won their last six games, as well as seven of their last 10 overall. Included in the three losses on the spin were decisions at top-ranked Florida (May 3) and third-ranked Miami (May 10). Bethune-Cookman enters having also won seven of their last eight series overall, with the lone exception being a three-game setback at Ohio State (April 1-3).
Bethune-Cookman will open the Gainesville [Fla.] Regional against the No. 1 national seed and host Florida Gators. Under the direction of head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, the top-seeded Gators enter the weekend with a record of 47-13, and finished as runner-up at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championships over the weekend in Hoover, Alabama.
First pitch for the Wildcats and Gators is scheduled for Friday, June 3, at 6 p.m.
Courtesy: BCU Athletics