Texas Tech will open the NCAA Lubbock Regional at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon against Fairfield, the NCAA selection committee announced Monday as part of the annual selection show on ESPNU.
The Red Raiders, who earned the No. 5 national seed, will also host No. 2 seed Dallas Baptist and No. 3 seed New Mexico in the four-team regional. New Mexico and Dallas Baptist will conclude the opening day of action with a 7 p.m. first pitch Friday evening. Both games will air live on ESPN3.
Tech (41-16) and Fairfield (32-24) will be meeting for the first time in program history Friday as the Stags are the No. 4 seed in the regional after claiming the MAAC Championship last weekend.
New Mexico (38-21) and Dallas Baptist (41-17) are both familiar foes for the Red Raiders, whose No. 5 seed is their highest in school history since the NCAA created the Super Regional round in 1999. Tech faced New Mexico three times during the 2016 season alone, taking two-of-three games from the Mountain West Tournament champions.
The Red Raiders have met Dallas Baptist a total of 23 times since the start of the 2004 season as Tech is 15-8 all-time against the Patriots. Dallas Baptist is in the tournament as an automatic qualifier after claiming the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title last weekend.
This is the fourth time in school history where Tech has been selected as an NCAA Regional host. The Red Raiders previously hosted the regional round in 1996 and 1997 when six teams traveled to one site and then again during the 1999 season.
The Red Raiders, the Big 12 regular-season champions, head into the postseason with a 41-16 overall record, the 13th 40-win season in program history. Tech was ranked as high as fifth in the national polls entering this past week and 14th on Sunday in the latest ratings percentage index (RPI) rankings.
Tech is making its first NCAA Championship appearance since 2014 when the Red Raiders advanced to the College World Series in Omaha after winning the NCAA Coral Gables Regional as well as the NCAA Lubbock Super Regional.
Season ticket holders and Red Raider Club members have until 5 p.m. CT Tuesday to request all-session tickets to the regional. Season ticket holders have the first right to purchase their tickets from the regular season. All additional tickets requested are not guaranteed and will be awarded based on the Red Raider Club priority point system as well as ticket availability.
Tech is offering only all-session passes at this time. If seats remain following the season ticket holder/Red Raider Club priority request period, all remaining all-session tickets will go on sale to the general public at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Season ticket holders who purchased reserved parking for the 2016 season are encouraged to use those passes throughout the postseason. Tech will also offer complimentary parking in the commuter lots located near Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park similar to the regular season.
In addition, Tech has held 300 complimentary seats for students and those tickets can be claimed on a first-come, first served-basis beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Rip Griffin Park box office. All students must show a valid Texas Tech I.D. in order to claim tickets.
For ticket questions, please contact the Texas Tech Ticket Office at 806-742-TECH beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
