Arkansas gets No. 2 seed in Manhattan Regional

Photo: Walt Beazley, UA Athletics

The road to Omaha apparently leads through Manhattan, Kan. for the Hogs this year.

The 15th-ranked Razorback baseball team on Sunday was selected as the No. 2 seed in the Manhattan Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament, and will face No. 3 seed Bryant on Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m.

The other first round matchup features host school and top seed Kansas State against No. 4 seed Wichita State on Friday at 2 p.m.

Arkansas was not selected to host a regional this year, despite finishing third in the SEC, and advancing to the semifinals of the SEC tournament. Meanwhile, conference foes South Carolina and Mississippi State were chosen to host regionals this year, even though both teams lost their regular season series to the Hogs.

Dennis Farrell, chair of the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee said the Hogs weren’t selected to host a regional because of their weak non conference schedule.

“They had a nonconference strength of schedule of 291 out of 296 teams, and they were just 1-6 in the nonconference away from home,” Farrell said. “I think that that’s probably what played against Arkansas the most from that standpoint.”

Arkansas will face a Bryant team that finished 44-16-1 this season, and won the Northeast Conference Tournament. Bryant hits .289 as a team and has a team ERA of 2.63.

The meeting between Arkansas and Bryant would be the first ever between the two schools. If Arkansas is able to defeat Bryant, they would face the winner of Friday’s Kansas State and Wichita Stage matchup at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.

All games from the Manhattan Regional will be available on ESPN3.

2013 Manhattan Regional Bracket / Game Schedule


Friday, May 31
Game 1 – Kansas State vs. Wichita State – 2 p.m.
Game 2 – Arkansas vs. Bryant – 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 1
Game 3 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 2 p.m.
Game 4 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 7 p.m.

Sunday, June 2
Game 5 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – 2 p.m.
Game 6 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4 – 7 p.m.

Monday, June 3
Game 7 (if necessary) – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 – 7 p.m.

Full 2013 NCAA baseball tournament bracket