The feeling of sitting with your brothers and waiting to see which regional calls your name is an experience that few will ever get to encounter as Radford baseball heard its named called for the second time in three years as the Highlanders will travel to the Louisville Regional this weekend.
The 2017 Louisville Regional will take place June 2-5 on the University of Louisville campus at Jim Patterson Stadium in a double-elimination format. The four-seeded Highlanders (27-30) will join host and No. 7 national seed Louisville (47-10), No. 2 Oklahoma (34-22) and No. 3 Xavier (32-25).
“All regionals are challenging. We have our work cut out for us as this regional possesses three really good baseball teams, including one of the best in the country,” said head coach Joe Raccuia. “Going to a regional is a different experience. One of the things that we have always done is to not over prepare. I believe that less information is sometimes better than more information.”
Coming off four straight Big South Tournament wins, Radford kicks off the tournament against Louisville on Friday, June 2 at 6 p.m., ET. The regional will open with Oklahoma against Xavier on Friday at 2 p.m. Every game of the Louisville Regional will be televised live through ESPN3 at WatchESPN.com.
“We get a chance at Louisville with our best guys on the mound and hopefully we get a strong start,” Raccuia noted. “They have always played fast, so we will need to control the running game.”
The winner of Friday’s first round games will play on Saturday at 7 p.m., while the two losing teams will play an elimination game on Saturday at noon. The winner of Saturday’s elimination game will play the losing team from Saturday night’s winner’s bracket game in an elimination game on Sunday at 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to play the winner of Saturday night’s winner’s bracket game on Sunday at 7 p.m. If needed, the two teams from Sunday’s second game will return for the final game of the Louisville Regional on Monday at 7 p.m.
Radford is one of 31 automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament, while an additional 33 teams received at-large bids to a regional. The Highlanders captured their second Big South Tournament Championship (2015) after outscoring opponents 29-8 in four games, while striking out 40 batters in 36 innings. Radford’s pitching staff led the tournament with a 1.50 ERA, surrendering only seven extra-base hits. The four games saw Radford use six pitchers, including only three relievers in the four games.
“I hope our kids enjoy this whole experience,” Raccuia added. “We are going to take infield the same way, hit in the cages the same way, eat the same foods and do the same things that our kids don’t get overwhelmed by.”
All-session tickets for the 2017 NCAA Regional in Louisville can be purchased online here. Tickets will also be available for purchase by phone (502-GO-CARDS) or in person through the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium starting Tuesday at 9 a.m., ET. All-session tickets for the four-team, double-elimination regional are $70 for reserved chairback seats and $45 for college students (with ID).
Fans are encouraged to purchase and pick up tickets in advance or print their tickets at home to avoid long will call lines on game day. Tickets can be picked up at the Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office, located at Gate 2 of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
No tickets will be mailed. Single session tickets, including reserved chairback and general admission berm seating, will go on sale Thursday, June 1 at 9 a.m., ET online at GoCards.com or at the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium Ticket Office. Tickets will also be available at Jim Patterson Stadium starting on Friday, June 2 at noon ET.
2017 NCAA REGIONAL – LOUISVILLE, KY. – SCHEDULE
Friday, June 2 | (ESPN3)
Game 1: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Xavier – 2 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 4 Radford – 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 3 | (ESPN3)
Game 3: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – Noon
Game 4: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 7 p.m.
Sunday, June 4 | (ESPN3)
Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser – 1 p.m.
Game 6: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner – 7 p.m.
Monday, June 5 | (ESPN3) – If necessary
Game 7: Game 6 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner – 7 p.m.
All times are Eastern Daylight Savings
2017 NCAA REGIONAL – LOUISVILLE, KY. – TICKET INFORMATION
All-Session Tickets
On sale now by ordering online here
Available in-person or by phone starting Tuesday 9 a.m. ET
Reserved Chairback: $70
College Student (with ID): $45
Single-Session Tickets
On sale starting Thursday 9 a.m. ET
Available online at GoCards.com or in-person (no phone orders) at Louisville Cardinals Ticket Office at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
Tickets will be available at Jim Patterson Stadium starting Friday at noon ET
Reserved Chairback: $15
Berm/General Admission: $10
College Student (with ID): $5
— Courtesy of RU Athletics
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