Bryant baseball selected as No. 2 seed in Charlottesville Regional; Opens NCAA play Friday

SMITFHIELD, R.I. – The No. 14/20 Bryant University baseball team earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will travel to the Charlottesville (Va.) Regional to face third-seeded East Carolina on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. est. It was announced Monday during the NCAA Baseball Championship Selection Special presented by Capital One.

The Bulldogs (47-10) earn a No. 2 seed for the first time in program history and they are the first team in Northeast Conference history to earn a two seed. Defending national champion Virginia is the No. 1 seed and will face fourth-seeded and CAA champion William & Mary in Friday's first game. The Black and Gold have never faced any of the other three teams in the regional.

Bryant will be making its third NCAA appearance in the last four years, playing as a No. 3 seed in both 2013 (Manhattan, Kan.) and 2014 (Baton Rouge, La.). The Bulldogs are a combined 1-4 in the NCAA Tournament, earning the University's first-ever NCAA Division I tournament victory in 2013 over Arkansas.

The Bulldogs earned the NEC's automatic bid with a clean sweep of the conference tournament last weekend. Bryant defeated Central Connecticut, 8-1, Sacred Heart, 5-1, and Fairleigh Dickinson, 8-3, to claim its third title in four years.

Bryant also enters the NCAA Tournament with the best winning percentage in the country, the most wins in the country and the best run differential in the country (+4.7).

The Charlottesville Regional is one of 16 regionals around the country and will work in a double-elimination format. Each regional winner will advance to the NCAA Super Regionals, with the Charlottesville Regional champion facing the Lubbock (Texas) Regional champion in a best-of-three series. The eight Super Regional winners will then advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Tickets to the Charlottesville Regional at Davenport Field are only currently available through purchase of a full Regional ticket book. Reserved ticket books are located in the left field and right bleachers. General admission ticket books are also available for seating on the hill and in standing room areas. To purchase ticket click here.

Charlottesville Regional Schedule

Friday, June 3

Game 1 - No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 4 William & Mary - 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Game 2 - No. 2 Bryant vs. No. 3 East Carolina - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Saturday, June 4

Game 3 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 (Elimination Game) - 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Game 4 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Sunday, June 5

Game 5 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (Elimination Game) - 1:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Game 6 - Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (Championship) - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)

Monday, June 6

Game 7 - Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (If Necessary) - 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)