Blue Raiders to face FAU in first round of SBC tourney

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Top-seeded Middle Tennessee will play Florida Atlantic, the eighth seed, in the opening round of the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Championships hosted by Troy in Troy, Ala.

The Blue Raiders will face the Owls at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20 in game two of the tournament.

The team hotel in Troy, Ala. is the Holiday Inn on Hwy 231 at US 29 Troy Exit.

In lieu of a formal tournament banquet the host school, Troy, and the Sun Belt Conference will host Family Night for the second straight year. There will be a Student-Athlete Home Run Derby with one representative from each of the eight schools competing in the tournament.

Sophomore Bryce Brentz will represent the Blue Raiders as he leads the ball club in home runs with 27. Brentz has set the single-season home run record for Middle Tennessee in 2009.

Family Night is set to begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at Riddle-Pace Field with an awards ceremony before the Home Run.

The tournament will begin on Wednesday, May 20 at 9 a.m. when Florida International faces UL-Lafayette in the opening game. FIU and the Ragin' Cajuns are on the same side of the double-elimination bracket as the Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee will have more information on the tournament throughout the week on goblueraiders.com. All games at the Sun Belt Championships will be broadcast on 88.3 FM in Murfreesboro and on the internet at goblueraiders.com.

Schedule of Events
Tuesday, May 19 - Sun Belt Family Night 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20
9 a.m. - Game 1 - No. 4 Florida International vs. No. 5 UL-Lafayette
12:30 p.m. - Game 2 - No. 1 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 8 Florida Atlantic
4 p.m. - Game 3 - No. 2 Western Kentucky vs. No. 7 ULM
7:30 p.m. - Game 4 - No. 3 Troy vs. No. 6 South Alabama

Thursday, May 21
9 a.m. - Game 5 - G1 Loser vs. G2 Loser
12:30 p.m. - Game 6 - G3 Loser vs. G4 Loser
4 p.m. - Game 7 - G1 Winner vs. G2 Winner
7:30 p.m. - Game 8 - G3 Winner vs. G4 Winner

Friday, May 22
9 a.m. - Game 9 - G7 Loser vs. G5 Winner
12:30 p.m. - Game 10 - G8 Loser vs. G6 Winner
4 p.m. - Game 11 - G7 Winner vs. G9 Winner
7:30 p.m. - Game 12 - G8 Winner vs. G10 Winner

Saturday, May 23
* Game 13 will be necessary if the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11.
* Game 14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12.
Championship Game - TBA

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