Hawks want to make most of first NCAA baseball regional

By Wesley Lyle

Sports Information Director

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – The Huntingdon baseball team kept things loose during its final practice of the season at Posey Field on Monday.

Hours after learning they were headed to a NCAA regional for the first time, the Hawks were excited and focused on their next challenge.

"This is big for us. Being the first Huntingdon team to make a NCAA Regional is a great accomplishment for our program," senior second baseman Caleb Astin said. "Since I've been here, we've had some teams that we felt could compete in the regionals, but we never got the opportunity. Now that we have the opportunity, we want to make the most of it. This team has worked really hard for this and we're glad to have a chance to show what we can do."

The Hawks (30-9) open play in the NCAA Division III South Regional on Wednesday in Millington, Tenn. Top-seeded Huntingdon will face sixth-seeded Methodist (24-20) at noon. The winner will play again at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday and the loser will play at noon Thursday.

"It was a great feeling when we found out we had been selected," senior shortstop Austin White said. "We've worked long and hard during the past four years and after last year, we really wanted to make it this season. Last year, we didn't do what we needed to do down the stretch to secure a spot. This year we were able to put it all together."

The remainder of the South Regional consists of three 30-win teams -- No. 2 seed Salisbury (30-7), No. 3 seed Millsaps (34-11) and No. 4 seed Bridgewater (33-11) -- and No. 5 seed Randolph-Macon (23-17-1).

"We're excited about the opportunity to go and play," Huntingdon head coach D.J. Conville said. "This isn't our first team that has deserved the opportunity, but I think this team is the most deserving I've had. These guys have earned this.

"We also know we have work to do this week. This is a strong regional. I don't think there is a team in the region that isn't capable of winning it. Our mindset has to be to go play one game at a time and find a way to get it done."

Finding ways to get it done has been a key to the Hawks' season. Huntingdon enters the regional with a 14-game winning streak and has not lost a game since March. During that stretch, nine games have been decided by three runs or less and five games have been decided by a run.

"This is a huge opportunity for us," said junior catcher Joseph Odom, who leads Division III with 13 home runs. "We've been in tight games and we've found ways to win. There aren't many situations we can see that we haven't already faced. We were undefeated in April and we're going to carry that into the regional and try to take care of business."

South Regional Info                         

Tournament Schedule

Wednesday

Game 1: (1)Huntingdon College (30-9) vs. (6)Methodist University (24-20) – 12 p.m.

Game 2: (2)Salisbury University (30-7) vs.(5) Randolph-Macon College (23-17-1) – 3:30 p.m.

Game 3: (3)Millsaps College (34-11) vs. (4)Bridgewater College (33-11) – 7 p.m.

Thursday

Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 12 p.m.

Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 3 – 3:30 p.m.

Game 6: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3 – 7 p.m.

Friday

Game 7: TBA vs. TBA -- 12 p.m.

Game 8:  TBA vs. TBA -- 3 p.m.

Game 9: TBA vs. TBA  – 7 p.m.

Saturday

Game 10: Championship Game – 12 p.m.

Game 11: Championship Game (If needed) – 3:30 p.m.