MSU

Date confirmed: NCAA regional coming to Springfield

Lyndal Scranton
News-Leader

Missouri State’s baseball team is going to the NCAA Tournament and won’t need an airplane or bus to get there.

The No. 8-ranked Bears were named one of 16 host teams for the Road to Omaha on Sunday night. The four-team regional begins on Friday at Hammons Field where Missouri State (45-10 with a 16-game winning streak) will be the top seed.

“It’s pretty special as a senior,” shortstop Joey Hawkins said. “We had senior day last week and I just had a great feeling about coming back to Hammons. It’s special to me and the (five) other seniors.”

The complete 64-team NCAA bracket, with regional assignments and pairings, will be unveiled at 11 a.m. Monday on ESPNU.

Coach Keith Guttin said it’s gratifying to be a regional host for the first time. The Bears have gone on the road all eight previous NCAA trips, including to Miami three years ago in their last appearance.

When talk of possibly being a regional host began to circulate about five weeks ago, the Bears were 29-10.

“I thought to myself ‘that’s kind of crazy talk,’ ” Guttin said. “We would have to literally go undefeated the rest of the way to be be considered.”

Which they did. The 16-game streak is the second-longest in program history, with only an 18-game run in 1989 better. The Bears have never been 35 games above .500 as they are now.

“I’m just really proud of our guys and what they’ve accomplished,” Guttin said. “I’m looking forward to Friday night, on our home field.

“The players have earned it.”

Other regional hosts announced Sunday night: LSU, Illinois, Texas A&M, Miami (Florida), Dallas Baptist, TCU, Cal State-Fullerton, Florida, Houston, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State and Florida State.

The top eight “national seeds” will be unveiled on Monday during the selection show.

Regional ticket info

Games in the Springfield Regional are Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a possible game on June 1. Here is the ticket information:

•Tickets go on sale at noon Monday online only on a special link to be posted at MissouriStateBears.com

•Phone and in-person ticket orders would begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Hammons Field box office. The phone order number is 417-863-2143.

•Ticket prices would be by all-session and single game.

•All-session prices (sections G, H and I) - $75; (sections D, E, F, J, K and L) - $60; (suites) $80. Suites consist of 18 seats and are not sold individually.

•Single-game reserved (sections G, H and I) - $15; single-game (sections D, E, F, J, K and L) - $12; single-game general admission (sections A, B, C, M and N) - $10; (suites for single games) $20 apiece and suites tickets are not sold individually.

•Missouri State and other college students are $5 with a valid ID. Kids ages 3 and up are $5 per game (in-person purchase only). Kids under 3 are free with a paid adult.