NIACC opens regional baseball tournament on Thursday
CLINTON - The NIACC baseball team begins play in the NJCAA Region XI tournament at 6 p.m. Thursday against either Northeast CC or Iowa Lakes.
The regional tournament will be played at Ashford University Field, the home of the Clinton LumberKings, who is the Class A affliliate of the Seattle Mariners.
NIACC (34-18-1 overall) is the No. 2 seed for the tournament with its 20-7-1 league mark. Northeast CC (17-36-1, 6-22) and Iowa Lakes (17-33, 5-23) meet in a play-in game at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
No. 4 Southeastern earned the No. 1 seed and received a first-round bye.
NIACC won the series against Northeast CC this season 3-1 and swept the four-game set against Iowa Lakes.
Wednesday's play-in game
6 p.m. - (7) Northeast CC (17-36-1, 6-22) vs. (8) Iowa Lakes (17-33, 5-23)
Thursday's games
Noon - (4) Iowa Central (27-26, 16-12) vs. (5) Ellsworth (14-39, 11-17)
3 p.m. - (3) Kirkwood (36-14, 18-7-1) vs. (6) DMACC (24-26, 10-16)
6 p.m. - (2) NIACC (34-18-1, 20-7-1) vs. Northeast CC/Iowa Lakes winner
Friday's games
Noon - (1) Southeastern (45-11, 23-5) vs. Iowa Central/Ellsworth winner
3 p.m. - Kirkwood/DMACC winner vs. NIACC/Northeast CC/Iowa Lakes
6 p.m. - Kirkwood/DMACC loser vs. NIACC/Northeast CC/Iowa Lakes loser
Note - Two elimination games will be played at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and the winner's bracket title game is set for 6 p.m. Saturday. Also, two elimination games are set for noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday with the championship game set for 6 p.m. Sunday. If necessary, a second championship game will be played at noon on Monday.
