TOREROS LOOK TO DEFEND TITLE AT WCC TOURNAMENT

Fourth-seeded USD must first win play-in game against Gaels

For a decade, the West Coast Conference used a four-team postseason get together to determine its tournament champion.

That winner received the

West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament Today: Game 1:

Las Vegas Ballpark

No. 3 Santa Clara (31-18) vs. No. 6 Gonzaga (18-33), 3 p.m.

Game 2: No. 4 USD (24-24-1) vs. No. 5 Saint Mary’s (21-26), 7:20 p.m.

Streaming: wccsports.com/watch

WCC’s automatic bid to the 64-team NCAA Tourna

ment.

The four-team format was well received, especially since it mirrored the NCAA Regionals format.

The WCC expanded the tournament to six teams last year, requiring four of the teams to participate in a play-in game in order to advance to the main four-team bracket.

What does adding two teams do for the tournament? Well, it does fill more hotels rooms in Las Vegas, where the four-day tournament will be played.

This year it also adds two teams with losing regularseason records who both managed 14-13 marks in conference play. Meanwhile, first-place Loyola Maymount went 21-6 while Portland, Santa Clara and the University of San Diego all tied for second at 17-10.

USD won a play-in game last season as the No. 3 seed and rode that momentum to the 2022 tournament championship. The Toreros, the No. 4 seed this season, again face a play-in game as they begin defense of their tournament title.

USD (24-24-1) meets No. 5 Saint Mary’s (21-26) today at 7:20 p.m., after No. 3 Santa Clara (31-18) plays No. 6 Gonzaga (18-33) in the 3 p.m. tournament opener.

Top-seeded LMU (29-22) and No. 2 Portland (29-21)