The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Baseball team is ranked eighth in the third and final NCAA Division II Baseball Regional Rankings were released and the NSIC has four of the eight teams in the central region. Augustana and Minnesota State are ranked second and third, while St. Cloud State is sixth
UMC lost to Minnesota State Mankato 15-9 on Wednesday afternoon and St. Cloud State lost to Augustana 8-2.
UMC will take on St. Cloud State at Noon on Thursday (you can hear the game on KROX Radio) in what could be a deciding factor if either team makes the region tournament. Both teams need to win to have a chance to make the region tournament. Oh, by the way, the game between UMC and St. Cloud State is a loser out game. Two more wins for either team would give them a good shot at making the tournament.
The 39-team NCAA Central Region is made up of teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC). Automatic bids are awarded to the tournament champions from each conference with the final three spots awarded on an at-large basis. In all, six teams will advance to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
The NCAA DII Baseball Selection Show will stream on NCAA.com on Sunday, May 23 at 9 p.m. central time.
CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS – (Team-conference-D2 record-in-region record)
1. Central Missouri (MIAA) 36-6 34-6
2. Augustana (NSIC) 33-9 33-9
3. Minnesota State Mankato (NSIC) 33-7 33-7
4. Southern Arkansas (GAC) 26-14 26-14
5. Oklahoma Baptist (GAC) 26-14 26-14
6. St. Cloud State (NSIC) 22-12 22-12
7. Arkansas State (GAC) 27-14 27-14
8. UMC (NSIC) 25-10 25-10
