Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 25, 1993 TAG: 9305250022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: OVERLAND PARK, KAN. LENGTH: Medium
Georgia Tech (45-12) drew Liberty (23-23) in a first-round game May 27. Liberty earned its first NCAA berth by winning the Big South Conference tournament.
Also making first appearances are Kansas, an at-large selection after losing the Big Eight tournament championship, and UNC Charlotte, winner of the Metro Conference tournament.
Pepperdine, which beat Cal State Fullerton 3-2 in the World Series final last year, was seeded third because the overall power rankings of the West Coast Conference were not as high as some other conferences, said Dave Keilitz of Central Michigan, chairman of the Division I Men's Baseball Committee.
The pairings, made in meetings by the committee Sunday and Monday morning, were based on power rankings, the Rankings Percentage Index, and on recommendations of advisory committees.
The RPI is figured on winning percentage in Division I games, the success of opponents and opponents' strength of schedule.
Teams on the bubble that were left out included Florida, Evansville, Georgia Southern, Brigham Young, Memphis State, Stetson, Villanova, Virginia Tech, Texas Tech and LaMoyne, Keilitz said.
"It was more difficult seeding this year than any year since I've been on the committee," Keilitz said. "The last three number ones and the twos, threes and fours were all very difficult. There is so much parity. The seeding of the twos, threes and fours was very difficult."
Keilitz said the committee will continue to lobby for an expansion of the field from 48 teams to 64. The NCAA Executive Committee must approve the larger field.
The Southeastern Conference led the way with six teams in the tournament and the Atlantic Coast Conference had five, signaling that the balance of power in college baseball apparently has shifted to the East.
It will be the second straight year that a California school is not host to a regional tournament.
Winners of the eight double-elimination region tournaments, to be played May 27-30 and May 28-31, advance to the College World Series from June 4-12 at Omaha, Neb.
The field includes 24 teams that qualified automatically by winning conference titles.
Top seeds in regionals to be played May 27-30 include Georgia Tech (45-12), Atlantic Region, at Atlanta; Texas A&M (48-9), Central I, at College Station, Texas; Long Beach State (39-17), East, at Tallahassee, Fla.; Louisiana State (45-15-1), South, at Baton Rouge, La.; and Arizona State (42-18), West, at Tempe, Ariz.
Top seeds in the May 28-31 region tournaments were Texas (46-14), Central II, at Austin, Texas; Tennessee (44-18), Mideast, at Knoxville, Tenn.; and North Carolina State (47-15), Midwest, at Stillwater, Okla.
Tennessee made the tournament for the first time since 1951, and Miami was in for the 21st year in a row, the longest consecutive streak.
by CNB