ROSEMONT, Ill. – Four Big Ten teams have qualified for the 79th NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which opens May 29-June 1 at 16 regional sites. UCLA received the conference’s automatic berth after winning the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday while Oregon, Nebraska and USC received at-large berths into the 64-team field. Three teams – UCLA, Oregon and Nebraska – will host regionals.
Sixteen teams will advance from the double-elimination regionals to eight super regional sites scheduled for June 5-8. The Men’s College World Series takes place June 12-22 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb.
Details on Friday’s opening games:
Los Angeles Regional | Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium
#1 UCLA (51-6), Big Ten vs. #4 Saint Mary’s (34-25), West Coast – 3 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Other regional teams: #2 Virginia Tech (30-24), ACC / #3 Cal Poly (36-22), Big West
UCLA, Big Ten regular season and tournament champions, will make its 27th NCAA appearance all-time, having advanced to the Men’s College World Series last year. The No. 1 seed overall, the Bruins captured a national championship in 2013.
Eugene Regional | Bob Kilkenny Field at PK Park
#1 Oregon (40-16), Big Ten vs. #4 Yale (30-13-1), Ivy League – 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Other regional teams: #2 Oregon State (43-12), independent /#3 Washington State (30-26), Mountain West
Oregon, hosting a regional for the second-straight year, is making its sixth-straight trip to the NCAAs and its 13th appearance overall. The Ducks are the No. 11 seed overall.
Lincoln Regional | Hawks Field at Haymarket Park
#1 Nebraska (42-15), Big Ten vs. #4 South Dakota State (24-31), Summit – 4 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Other regional teams: #2 Ole Miss (36-21), SEC / #3 Arizona State (37-19), Big 12
Nebraska, hosting a regional for the first time since 2008, is making their third-straight NCAA appearance and their 20th overall. The Cornhuskers are the No. 13 seed overall.
College Station Regional | Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park
#2 USC (43-15), Big Ten vs. #3 Texas State (36-24), Sun Belt – 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Other regional teams: #1 Texas A&M (39-14), SEC / #4 Lamar (34-25), Southland
USC earns its 43rd trip to the NCAA Tournament having won 12 national championships (their last in 1998). The Trojans have earned their second-straight NCAA berth.
