NCAA Division II Tournament baseball returns to Dr. Pappas Field for second-straight year

RINDGE, N.H. (May 15, 2006) - Franklin Pierce has earned the top seed and will serve as host of the 2006 NCAA Division II Northeast Baseball Regional this week. The six-team double-elimination tournament will take place at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21.

Franklin Pierce (40-10, 25-5 NE-10), regular season champions in the Northeast-10 Conference received one of three at-large bids to the regional. The Ravens are joined in the regional by second-seeded University of New Haven (35-10, 24-3 NYCAC), who received an at-large berth, third-seeded UMass Lowell (36-12, 20-10 NE-10), who earned the NE-10's automatic bid, fourth-seeded and defending Northeast Regional champions Southern Connecticut State University (33-17, 20-10 NE-10), who received the final at-large bid, fifth-seeded Dominican College (40-16, 23-4 CACC), who earned the automatic bid from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and sixth-seeded Dowling College (30-13, 20-7 NYCAC), who earned the automatic bid from the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Admission for each day of games will be $7 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and students with a valid ID and $3 for children under the age of 12. Complementary food and beverages will be available at the event for all in attendance from 11:30 a.m., until 3 p.m., each day.

All games will be broadcast live on WFPC-LP, 105.3 FM, and simulcast via the internet at www.franklinpierce.edu /athletics.

The winner of the Northeast Regional earns one of eight spots at the 2006 NCAA Division II Baseball Championships at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala., May 27 through June 3.

Franklin Pierce is making its third appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament, earning the top seed and serving as host for the second-straight year. The Ravens captured the 2003 NCAA Regional title to earn its first trip to the College World Series where they reached the semifinal round. Last year, Franklin Pierce fell to Southern Connecticut in the regional final, 1-0. 

2006 NCAA Division II Northeast Regional
hosted by Franklin Pierce, Dr. Pappas Field, Rindge, N.H.
May 18-21  

Thursday, May 18
Game 1: #6 Dowling (30-13) at #1 Franklin Pierce (40-10), 9:30 a.m.
Game 2: #5 Dominican (40-16) vs. #2 New Haven (35-10), 1 p.m.
Game 3: #4 Southern Connecticut State (33-17) vs. #3 UMass Lowell (36-12), 4:30 p.m.  

Friday, May 19
Game 4: Loser game 1 vs. Loser game 2, 9:30 a.m.
Game 5: Winner game 1 vs. Loser game 3, 1 p.m.
Game 6: Winner game 2 vs. Winner game 3, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 20
(if four teams remain after game 6)
Game 7: Winner game 5 vs. Winner game 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Loser game 6, 1 p.m.
Game 9: Winner game 8 vs. Loser game 7, 4:30 p.m.  

Sunday, May 21
Game 10: Winner game 7 vs. Winner game 9, noon
Game 11: if necessary, 30 mins upon conclusion of game 10

Saturday, May 20
(if five teams remain after game 6)
Game 7: Loser game 5 vs. Loser game 6, 9:30 a.m.
Game 8: Winner game 4 vs. Winner game 5, 1 p.m.
Game 9: Winner game 6 vs. Winner game 7, 4:30 p.m.  

Sunday, May 21
Game 10: Loser game 9 vs. Winner game 8, noon
Game 11: Winner game 9 vs. Winner game 10, 3:30 p.m.