FRISCO, Texas – McNeese has clinched the 2022 Southland Conference regular-season championship for baseball and will be the top seed in the Southland Tournament, May 19-22. The Cowboys will be one of two hosts in the first weekend of double-elimination tournament play, with No. 2 seed Southeastern hosting the bottom half of the bracket.
All games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
McNeese (30-21,15-9 SLC) earned the top seed following a three-game sweep against HBU over the weekend. The Cowboys are the defending tournament champion after entering the 2021 event as a No. 7 seed. McNeese will face UIW (19-29, 9-15 SLC) on Thursday, May 19, at 6 p.m. CT at Joe Miller Ballpark. McNeese also swept the Cardinals last month during the regular season. The early game from Lake Charles will feature a match-up between No. 4 seed Nicholls (25-22, 12-12 SLU) and No. 5 seed Northwestern State (25-26, 12-12). First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Colonels won two of three in the regular-season series in Thibodaux.
Southeastern (24-27. 14-10 SLC) will enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed and will square off with No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (26-26, 10-14). Game times mirror the other site, so these two teams will begin play at 6 p.m. The early game in Hammond pits No. 3 seed New Orleans (27-21, 13-11) against No. 6 seed HBU (18-34, 11-13) at 1 p.m. The teams met during the regular season with the Privateers winning two out of three back on April 1-3.
The two teams that advance through the first weekend will meet at the host site of the highest remaining seed for a best two-of-three series on May 26-28. The winner will receive the Southland’s automatic berth to the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament.
Both sites will offer an all-tournament pass (minimum 6 games, maximum 7) at $75 for adults and $40 for youth aged 3-12. Children two and under received free admission. Single-game tickets will also be available for $15 adult and $10 youth. Students at a Southland Conference institution may also attend for free by showing their valid school ID.
No. 1 McNeese – Lake Charles, La./Joe Miller Ballpark
Thursday, May 19
1 p.m. – No. 4 Nicholls vs. No. 5 Northwestern State (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – No. 1 McNeese vs. No. 8 UIW (ESPN+)
Friday, May 20
1 p.m. – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 21
1 p.m. – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner (ESPN+)
Sunday, May 22 (if necessary)
1 p.m. – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (ESPN+)
No. 2 Southeastern – Hammond, La./Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field
Thursday, May 19
1 p.m. – No. 3 New Orleans vs. No. 6 HBU (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – No. 2 Southeastern vs. No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (ESPN+)
Friday, May 20
1 p.m. – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner (ESPN+)
Saturday, May 21
1 p.m. – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser (ESPN+)
6 p.m. – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner (ESPN+)
Sunday, May 22 (if necessary)
1 p.m. – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (ESPN+)
Championship Series – Site of Top Remaining Seed for Best of Three Series
Thursday, May 26-Saturday, May 28
{Courtesy: release from the Southland Conference}
