NEW ORLEANS – The seeds and matchups for this week’s 2018 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship, hosted at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park on the campus of the University of Louisiana, have been determined following the conclusion of the conference’s regular season on Saturday evening.
The tournament begins on Tuesday, May 22, and ends with the championship game on Sunday, May 27. All games of the tournament will be available on ESPN+ and the WatchESPN app. The tournament format combines single and double-elimination play. Two single-elimination first round games on Tuesday precede the start of double-elimination play between the remaining eight teams. The top ten teams, based on conference winning percentage will compete for the tournament title.
The Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina (38-17, 23-7) earned the top seed after they defeated Appalachian State, 2-1, over the weekend to capture their second consecutive East division crown. Since April 24, the Chanticleers are 10-3, winning seven of their last eight games.
With the new tournament format continuing for 2018 – single-elimination combined with double-elimination – the Chants will face the lowest remaining seed from Tuesday’s first round matchups on Wednesday, May 23, at 12:30 p.m. (CT).
Louisiana won the West division with its sweep of ULM. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 33-23 overall and 18-12 in league play. The Ragin’ Cajuns will play the highest remaining seed from Tuesday’s first round on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. (CT). As tournament host, Louisiana reserved the right to choose the playing time of its first round game only and the host chose the 7:30 time slot.
Troy earned the No. 3 seed in the tournament and will take on No. 6 Texas State on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. (CT). This will be the first meeting of the season between the Trojans (38-18, 19-11) and the Bobcats (28-26-1, 16-14). Troy closed out the regular season with a 2-1 series win over South Alabama. Texas State swept UTA, its first sweep of the Mavericks since 2007.
South Alabama (30-23, 18-11) topped Troy in the regular season finale on Saturday and earned the tournament’s fourth seed. USA will face No. 5 Georgia Southern (29-24, 18-11) in Wednesday’s first game at 9:00 a.m. (CT).
The tournament begins on Tuesday with single-elimination games between No. 7 Little Rock (27-26, 15-14) and No. 10 Georgia State (26-28, 10-19) at 3:00 p.m. (CT). In Tuesday night’s finale, No. 8 UTA (21-33, 11-19) takes on No. 9 Arkansas State (20-31, 11-19) at 6:30 p.m. (CT).
The Sun Belt champion will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2018 Baseball Championship Schedule
Tuesday, May 22 (start of single-elimination)
Game 1: 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – No. 7 Little Rock vs. No. 10 Georgia State
Game 2: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – No. 8 UTA vs. No. 9 Arkansas State
Wednesday, May 23 (start of double-elimination)
Game 3: 9:00 a.m. (ESPN+) – No. 4 South Alabama vs. No. 5 Georgia Southern
Game 4: 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – No. 1 Coastal Carolina vs. 1st Round Winner (Low Seed)
Game 5: 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – No. 3 Troy vs. No. 6 Texas State
Game 6: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – No. 2 Louisiana vs. 1st Round Winner (High Seed)
Thursday, May 24
Game 7: 9:00 a.m. (ESPN+) – Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 8: 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6
Game 9: 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Game 10: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
Friday, May 25
Game 11: 3:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 9
Game 12: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 10
Saturday, May 26
Game 13: 9:00 a.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11
Game 14: 12:30 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 12
*Game 15: 4:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner Game 13 vs. Loser Game 13 (if necessary)
#Game 16: 7:30 p.m. ^ (ESPN+) – Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14 (if necessary)
Sunday, May 27 (Championship Game)
Championship: 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+) – Winner take all
* Game 15 is necessary if the winner of Game 11 also wins Game 13.
# Game 16 is necessary if the winner of Game 12 also wins Game 14.
^ If Game 15 is not necessary and Game 16 is necessary, Game 16 shall begin 75 minutes after the conclusion of Game 14.
All times are Central and Subject to Change
2018 Baseball Championship seeds and Sun Belt records
1. Coastal Carolina (38-17, 23-7 Sun Belt)
2. Louisiana (33-23, 18-12 Sun Belt)
3. Troy (38-18, 19-11 Sun Belt)
4. South Alabama (30-23, 18-11 Sun Belt) *
5. Georgia Southern (29-24, 18-11 Sun Belt) *
6. Texas State (28-26-1, 16-14 Sun Belt)
7. Little Rock (27-26, 15-14 Sun Belt)
8. UTA (21-33, 11-19 Sun Belt) **
9. Arkansas State (20-31, 11-19 Sun Belt) **
10. Georgia State (26-28, 10-19 Sun Belt)
* – Georgia Southern and South Alabama finished the regular season with identical 18-11 conference records. USA earned the No. 4 seed based on its series win, head-to-head, over Georgia Southern. USA claimed that series 3-0.
** – UTA and Arkansas State finished the regular season with identical 11-19 conference records. UTA earned the No. 8 seed based on its series win, head-to-head, over Arkansas State. UTA claimed that series 2-1.
