In an elimination game for both squads, Concordia University Texas and Redlands will face off at the NCAA West Region Baseball Tournament today at noon. A free live audio broadcast is going to be available with Sports Information Director Matthew Chmura on the call. Tornado fans can also tune in early to listen to the pregame show at 11:50 a.m.

Sixth-seeded Concordia (31-16) came within three outs of winning its seventh straight postseason game yesterday against Trinity before dropping a 7-5 decision in heartbreaking fashion. The Tornados scored three times in the bottom of the first and held on to the lead until Nick Pappas blasted a grand slam in the top of the ninth that sealed the final outcome. Catcher Collin Janssen, the American Southwest Conference West Division Player of the Year, has continued to pace the offense at the regional. He has gone 4-for-8 with a homer and three runs batted in over the two games. The junior transfer has also directed a pitching staff which has posted an earned run average of 3.50, a mark that ranks second among the six competing teams, over the two days. Kyle Bieschke and Brent Schaekel have each recorded three hits and two RBI, while Schaekel has also stolen two bases. Pitchers Ryan Ullmann, Scott Hays, Pedro Maldonado and Gerry Morrison have held opponents to a .250 batting average.

Third-seeded Redlands (30-12), which is ranked 12th by the ABCA and 21st in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA poll, dropped an 8-4 decision to Chapman last night after opening the tournament with a 3-2 victory over Trinity. The team's top two hurlers, including Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Derek Johnson, have started the first two games with Johnson picking up the win against the Tigers on Wednesday. The Bulldog offense, which has been ranked as high as second nationally in batting average, has struggled at the regional and is only batting at a .254 clip in the two games. Led by Jon Cavender, who is 3-for-8 with two RBI, the team has recorded 17 hits with only two of them going for extra bases on doubles. Six other players have two hits apiece. Like Concordia, Redlands automatically qualified for the NCAAs by winning their conference title. The program will be looking to continue its 100th season of varsity competition against the Tornados today.

The winner will advance to play Chapman, the only unbeaten team left in the field, later in the day at 7:00 p.m.

Game Information (Thursday, May 19, 2011)
11:50 a.m. Pregame
12:00 p.m. Concordia vs. Redlands

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