LAKELAND, Fla. (May 23, 2005) — The Moccasins will meet top-ranked Central Missouri State in their opening game Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) at the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in Montgomery, Alabama.  The Moccasins (46-10) are seeking a Division II-record ninth national baseball title, while the Mules (55-7), who have surpassed 50 wins for the sixth straight season, are looking for a third Division II crown.  All of Florida Southern's games in the double-elimination tournament will be broadcast live on the Internet, with FSC Sports Information Director Bill Turnage calling the play-by-play.

The tournament will begin Saturday afternoon, when defending national champion Delta State (53-8) takes on Cal State-Chico (42-14) at 2 p.m. (EDT).  Sunday's schedule will send Grand Valley State (34-15) against West Virginia State (42-13) at 2 p.m. and North Florida (45-15) against Southern Connecticut State (31-12) at 7:30 p.m.

Adding to the championship atmosphere of this year's tournament is the fact that all games will be played at Montgomery's new state-of-the-art, 7,000-seat Riverwalk Stadium (Directions to stadium).  It is the home of Montgomery's minor league affiliate of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  The stadium is located on the corner of Tallapoosa Street and Coosa Street in Montgomery. Ticket prices for all-tournament passes are $20 for general admission, $25 for reserved seats purchased in advance.  If purchased at the gate, general admission passes are $25 and reserved seat passes are $30.  Tickets purchased in advance must be picked up by 6 p.m. (CDT) Friday.  Single session tickets are $6 for reserved seats, $5 for general admission, $4 for students (general admission).  The ticket office number is 334-232-2255.

The top five teams in this week's Division II national poll are in the tournament field - #1 Central Missouri, #2 Florida Southern, #3 Delta State, #4 North Florida, and #5 Cal State-Chico.  West Virginia State is ranked 10th, Grand Valley State is ranked 17th, and Southern Connecticut State is ranked 24th.

The Moccasins will play their second game in the tournament Monday.  If they win Saturday, they will play at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) Monday.  If they lose Saturday, they will play at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Monday.

Florida Southern will be headquartered at the Holiday Inn East in Montgomery.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 24 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.