KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The No. 23-ranked Rogers State baseball team will return to the NAIA Opening Round for the second consecutive season and second time in the program's short seven year history the NAIA National Office released Sunday.
RSU will join Oklahoma Baptist in the Hutchinson, Kan. Bracket hosted by Tabor College. The five-team, double elimination bracket will feature No. 17-ranked Judson (Ill.), Dakota State and host Tabor College.
The Hillcats will be the No. 3 seed in the Hutchinson Bracket facing No. 2 seed Judson (Ill.) in the opening round on Thursday, May 10.
The Diamond Cats are the No. 10 at-large team after putting together a record of 42-14 in 2012. RSU is one of four Sooner Athletic Conference teams to make the opening round joined by No. 3-ranked Oklahoma City, No. 7-ranked OBU and No. 19-ranked Lubbock Christian.
OBU and LCU earned automatic berths after reaching the SAC tournament championship game; the Bison claimed the tournament championship over the Chaps, 19-8, on Saturday. OCU earned the No. 1 at-large berth to the opening round as the Stars were the SAC regular season champions but were kept out of the tournament championship game after losing to LCU in pool play.
Judson (46-12) received an automatic berth as regular season champions of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference; this marks their first appearance in the Opening Round. Host Tabor (41-13) received the No. 14 at-large berth for the Bluejays first appearance in the Opening Round. Dakota State (28-26) was the runner-up in the Association of Independent Institutions tournament to garner the automatic berth and Trojans first trip to the opening round.
No. 1 seed OBU will face the winner of No. 4 Tabor and No. 5 Dakota State on Thursday. The Opening Round runs May 10-14 with the Hutchinson Bracket taking place at Hobart Detter Field.
For more information on the Hutchinson Bracket please click here.
Rogers State (42-14) will provide live audio streaming of all NAIA Opening Round play at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.
