UW-Whitewater, UW-La Crosse set to host regionals
MADISON – Back in the NCAA Division III baseball tournament after a rare, one-year hiatus, UW-Whitewater is set to host a four-team regional this week.
The Warhawks (35-8), who won the WIAC regular-season and tournament titles, were seeded No. 1 in their regional when the 60-team tournament field was revealed Monday.
They open Friday against Crown of Minnesota (21-20), with the start time to be announced.
UW-La Crosse (31-13) received an atlarge berth in the field. The Eagles were seeded No. 1 in a four-team regional, which they host. They open Friday against No. 4 Bethel of Minnesota (2415), with the start time to be announced.
The Eagles finished second in the WIAC during the regular season and lost to Whitewater in the championship round of the league tournament.
Beloit (24-15) was seeded No. 4 in a four-team regional host by Transylvania of Lexington, Kentucky. Beloit and top-seeded Spalding of Louisville, Kentucky, (30-10) play Friday, with the start time to be announced.
The Buccaneers clinched their NCAA berth by winning the Midwest Conference tournament for the second consecutive season. Ripon was the last Midwest Conference team to achieve that feat, in 2010 and 2011.
The four-team regionals follow a double-elimination format and are to be held Friday through Sunday.
Regional winners advance to the super regionals, set to begin on May 24. Whitewater is hosting one of the super regionals.
The national championship is set for May 31 through June 6 in Eastlake, Ohio.
Whitewater, which entered postseason play ranked No. 8 nationally according to D3baseball.com, is vying for its third national title under John Vodenlich.
The Warhawks won titles in 2005 and 2014 and have reached the national championship six times.
They went 3-0 in the WIAC tournament this season, outscoring their foes by a combined 26-10.
La Crosse, No. 16 in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, has made three appearances in national championship under Chris Schwarz – 2015, 2016 and 2023.
The Eagles were runner-up in 2015.