Oxford Regional - Tournament Central
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois baseball team was selected for the 2019 NCAA Baseball Tournament, the NCAA announced Monday on its selection show on ESPNU. Illinois is a No. 2 seed and will travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to face No. 3-seed Clemson in the tournament's first round Friday at 3 p.m. CT televised nationally on ESPNU.
Regional host and No. 12 national seed Ole Miss will take on No. 4 seed Jacksonville State in the other first round matchup at Swayze Field. The double elimination regionals are hosted at 16 sites with the winners advancing to the NCAA Super Regional at campus sites to be determined.Â
Illinois (36-19, 15-9 Big Ten) will bring a balanced pitching and hitting attack to the Oxford Regional, along with one of the nation's top defenses. The Illini set the Big Ten's conference games fielding percentage record on their way to Illinois' first NCAA Tournament appearance since winning the 2015 NCAA Champaign Regional and advancing to the program's first-ever Super Regional.Â
Illinois will be making its fourth tournament appearance in the last nine years, all under head coach Dan Hartleb. Hartleb has taken Illinois to more NCAA Tournaments than any previous Illini head coach.
Oxford Regional Schedule
G1: Friday - 3 p.m. CT - Illinois vs. Clemson (ESPNU)
G2: Friday - 7 p.m. CT - Ole Miss vs. Jacksonville State (ESPN3)
G3: Saturday - 12 p.m. CT - Loser G1 vs. Loser G2
G4: Saturday - 6 p.m. CT - Winner G1 vs. Winner G2
G5: Sunday - 2 p.m. CT - Winner G3 vs. Loser G4
G6: Sunday - 8 p.m. CT - Winner G4 vs. Winner G5
G7: Monday - 6Â p.m. CT - Winner G6 vs. Loser G6 (if necessary)
TV Note: All games will be televised by the ESPN family of networks.
Tickets
Sunday, May 26 -Â Tickets on sale to season ticket holders
Tuesday, May 28 at 5 p.m. -Â Priority deadline for all-session books
Tuesday, May 28 -Â General public sales begin
Thursday, May 30 at noon -Â Will call pick up begins at Tad Smith Coliseum
Friday, May 31 8 a.m. -Â 5th inning of Last game - Will Call at Tad Smith Coliseum
Saturday, June 1 -Â All will call taken to Swayze Field
Regional Books:
General Admission -Â $60
Grandstands -Â $70
Tent/BBQ Areas -Â $70
Box Seats -Â $80
Rooftop Plaza -Â $100
Ole Miss Diamond Club -Â $200
Ole Miss Dugout Club -Â $215
Illinois NCAA Tournament Resume
• No. 28 in the RPI, the best in the Big Ten
• 11-6 vs. the RPI top 50
• No. 6 in the nation in top 50 winning percentage among teams with 10+ games
• No. 22 in the nation in top 50 wins
• 18-15 vs. RPI top 100
• Nonconference RPI No. 4
• Nonconference strength of schedule No. 15
• Overall strength of schedule No. 56
• Six straight Big Ten series wins to end the regular season (at Minnesota, Penn State, at Nebraska, Indiana, Purdue, at Michigan State).
• Series wins against every top-five Big Ten team played (at Minnesota, at Nebraska, Indiana).
• Series win over Big Ten champion Indiana (RPI 36)
• Series sweep over MVC co-champion Illinois State (RPI 26)
• Series win at Nebraska (RPI 35)
• Series sweep at Conference USA champion FAU (RPI 37)
• Big Ten conference games fielding percentage record (.987)
• No. 2 in the Big Ten in batting average and ERA during the regular season
• No. 1 in the Big Ten in fielding percentage during the regular season
