Spartans Recieve Bid To NCAA II South Regional

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The field of 48 teams has been released for the 2009 NCAA II Baseball Tournament as the No. 13 University of Tampa received a bid to the South Regional, hosted by national No. 1 Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Ark.

Eight teams were selected for the double-elimination regional tournament with the Spartans taking the No. 4 seed. Joining the Spartans and the host SAU is Barry, No. 5 West Alabama, Lynn, No. 15 Florida Southern, Valdosta State, and Stillman. Tampa is familiar with each of these teams, as the Spartans played every team in the tournament at least twice during the regular season.

UT (39-15) will meet fellow Sunshine State Conference representative Lynn University (38-16) in their first matchup of the tournament. Tampa took two of three games from Lynn in the home SSC series when the two squads met earlier this season.

Regional champions will advance to the double-elimination championship finals May 23-30 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. The finals will be hosted by last year's National Champion Mount Olive College and the town of Cary, North Carolina.

Final South Region Rankings:
1. Southern Arkansas
2. Barry
3. West Alabama
4. Tampa
5. Lynn
6. Florida Southern
7. Valdosta State
8. Stillman