Clarksville, TN – In a year of record-setting achievements, Austin Peay State University’s baseball team achieved another first on May 27th, as it earned an Ohio Valley Conference all-time best No. 2-seed in the Bloomington, IN Regional Tournament and will face Southeastern Conference member University of Florida on May 31st, 1:00pm, at Bart Kaufman Field on the campus of the Indiana University.
It will be the first meeting between Austin Peay and Florida (29-28) – who finished third in the SEC East division and lost to Texas A&M in the first round of the SEC tournament — since the 2002 season, with the Gators holding a slim 3-2 advantage in the all-time series.
“Indiana was one of the sites I was really hoping that we would get sent to,” Austin Peay coach Gary McClure said. “It’s close enough that we can get some fans there, it’s a new ball park with turf and it’s been a long time since we played Florida, so it should be interesting.
“I know their number-one pitcher played with (Govs infielder) Jordan Hankins on the USA team (last summer), so I sure he’ll give us all we want.”
Florida is one of nine SEC teams to make the overall 64-team tournament field.
Host and top seed Indiana University (43-14), winners of the Big 10 Conference regular season and tournament and Valparaiso University (31-26), winners of the Horizon League tournament, round out the four-team region.
“I like the draw even though we’re matched up against a team from the SEC, which is the best baseball conference overall in the country,” McClure said. “But all three teams there we’ve played at some point and we have a pretty good feeling about how they play.”
Austin Peay is 0-6 all-time versus Indiana, who they last meet during the 2008 season, while the Govs hold a commanding 17-5 advantage over Valparaiso; which they last played during the 2011 season.
The victor qualifies for one of eight Super Regionals and takes one step closer to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. Regional play runs through June 3rd, if necessary. All NCAA Regional action can be seen online via ESPN3.
For more ticket information, contact the Indiana University ticket office at 1-866-IUSPORTS.
Ticket prices are: Reserved All-Session – $77 • Reserved Single-Session – $15 • General All-Session – $63 • General Single-Session – $12 • Student/Young All-Session – $35 • Student/Youth – $8.
