Wright State, UIC share Horizon League baseball regular-season title

INDIANAPOLIS – Wright State and UIC will be the top seeds in the 2011 Horizon League Baseball Championship after claiming the regular-season title on Friday.  Both teams finished 16-7 in conference play and have been named regular-season Co-Champions.

Top seeded Wright State (33-17 overall) picked up its second consecutive regular-season crown after splitting a double header with Butler on Friday.  The Raiders, who also finished runner-up in last year’s tournament, will host the 2011 baseball championship at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.

UIC (27-24 overall) earns the tournament’s No. 2 seed and at least a share of its tenth regular season title in the last 11 seasons after winning 2-0 against Youngstown State on Friday.  The Flames have won the championship four times in the last eight years (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008) and also own the circuit's last NCAA Tournament victory in 2008.

Milwaukee (27-26 overall, 15-10-1), the 2010 tournament champion and last year’s regular-season runner up, earns the tournament's No. 3 seed after splitting its final double header on Friday with fourth-seeded Valparaiso (22-30, 14-10). The Crusaders ended a five-game losing streak with the final regular-season victory.

No. 5 Butler (23-26-1, 11-14-1), No. 6 Youngstown State (12-39, 7-16) and No. 7 Cleveland State (12-42, 5-20) round out the field.  The Vikings will close out the 2011 campaign on Saturday, hosting Rider in a 1pm ET contest.

The 2011 Horizon League Baseball Championship, which is slated May 25-28, will feature the league’s top six teams in a double-elimination format with the winner of the tournament earning an automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA Baseball Championship.

The tournament will begin with two games on Wednesday (11 a.m. & 3 p.m.), three contests on Thursday (11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.), three affairs on Friday (11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.) and two tilts on Saturday (11 a.m. & 3 p.m.). The "if necessary" game is slated for Sunday at 11 a.m.

Valparaiso and Butler will open tournament play on Wednesday at 11 a.m ET, followed by Milwaukee and Youngstown State at 3pm.

UIC will play its first tournament game on Thursday at 3 p.m., while Wright State begins play that day at 7 p.m.

Both Saturday affairs and Sunday's "if necessary" tilt will be shown live on the Horizon League Network (www.horizonleague.com).

Milwaukee posted a 6-3 win over Wright State in the 2010 Horizon League Tournament finale. The Panthers followed with two games in the NCAA Tournament -- losing to Arizona State and San Diego.

  
2011 HORIZON LEAGUE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Wednesday, May 25
Game 1      #4 Valparaiso vs. #5 Butler, 11 a.m. ET
Game 2      #3 Milwaukee vs. #6 Youngstown State, 3:05 p.m. ET

Thursday, May 26
Game 3      Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 11 a.m. ET
Game 4      #2 UIC vs. Highest seed of Game 1 and 2 winners, 3:05 p.m. ET
Game 5      #1 Wright State vs. Lowest seed of game 1 and 2 winners, 7:05 p.m. ET

Friday, May 27
Game 6      Game 3 winner vs. Lower seed of Game 4 and 5 losers, 11 a.m. ET
Game 7      Game 6 winner vs. Higher seed of Game 4 and 5 losers, 3:05 p.m. ET
(Note: If one of the Game 4 or 5 losers has already had a bye, then that team will play in Game 6, regardless of seed)
Game 8      Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7:05 p.m. ET

Saturday, May 28
Game 9      Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 11 a.m. ET
Game 10    Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 3:05 p.m. ET

Sunday, May 29 -- if necessary
Game 11    Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 loser, 11 a.m. ET
(Note: If winner of Game 9 is also winner of Game 10, then winner and loser of Game 10 will play in Game 11 on Sunday)