Indianapolis, Ind. – May 16, 2011 – The NCAA Division III Baseball Committee has announced the field for the 2011 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship this morning, May 16. Heidelberg University is one of 55 teams selected to participate in the championship. The Berg is the two-seed of the seven-team Marietta Regional hosted by Marietta College at Don Schaly Stadium in Marietta, Ohio. Heidelberg (33-11) was selected as an at-large selection to the regional and play begins on Wednesday, May 18.
Joining Heidelberg in Marietta will be the top-seed and host Marietta along with Adrian College (31-9), Franklin College (29-12), Frostburg State University (28-13), Case Western Reserve University (30-13) and Penn State-Altoona (28-11). Heidelberg will face no. seven seeded Penn State Altoona on Wednesday, May 18 at 4:30 p.m. For the latest information on the Mideast Regional visit the regional website.
A total of 55 teams were selected for the postseason. Thirty-eight institutions earned a spot by virtue of an automatic qualifier bid by winning their respective conference, while two bids were handed out for teams that do not have a conference automatic qualifier and the final 15 spots were filled by at-large selections. Six teams will compete at four regional sites; seven teams will compete at one regional site; eight teams will compete at three regional sites. All regionals will use a double-elimination format.
Winners of the eight regional tournaments will qualify for the double-elimination championship at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin, May 27-31.
Heidelberg, under the guidance of 12th-year head coach Matt Palm, boasts an overall record of 33-11 and finished runner-up in the Ohio Athletic Conference this season. The Berg is the defending Mideast Regional Champion. Heidelberg is making its fifth appearance at the NCAA Mideast Regional, including its fourth consecutive (2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). Its previous four trips were made with an automatic qualifier bid after winning the OAC Tournament.