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The Miami Hurricanes chose the wrong time for a six-game losing skid.
Although the slide diminished the team's confidence heading into the postseason, it didn't ruin Miami's chance to host its 21st NCAA Regional. The Hurricanes (38-17-1) -- along with Florida State (50-18) and Florida (40-20) -- were named among the 16 first-round hosts.
"Usually we don't have to concern ourselves with being regional hosts," said a relieved Andrew Lane, UM's junior reliever. "We're usually set and just have to wait to see who we're playing. But this year, we left ourselves in a bad spot."
That explains the sighs of relief that filled UM's locker room when the school's name scrolled across the television Sunday as one of the hosts. Four teams compete in each regional, and the 16 winners advance to the Super Regional.
Before three consecutive road series, Miami's RPI and rankings not only warranted UM being a Regional host, but the Hurricanes were virtually a lock to host a Super Regional as well if they won.
"Sleeping in different beds every day. Waking up at a different times," UM junior Ryan Braun said. "The traveling got to us ... I'm glad we're home."
Miami, Florida State and Florida will find out who their opponents are at 11:30 a.m. today on ESPN.
Because of FAU's 8-0 loss to Stetson in the finals of the Atlantic Sun tournament, the Owls (36-22) are at the mercy of the NCAA selection committee that picks the 34 at-large teams. Central Florida (42-18), which has the best record in the A-Sun conference, could get picked over the Owls, but FAU was 3-1 against the Golden Knights this season and eliminated them from the conference tournament.
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP: Tyler Greene, a former /South Florida Sun-Sentinel/ Player of the Year from St. Thomas Aquinas, had two hits and drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the tying run, leading the Yellow Jackets to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title with a 5-4 win over Virginia in Jacksonville.
Georgia Tech (42-16) claimed its seventh ACC title and earned the league's automatic NCAA berth.
Virginia (41-18) held 1-0 and 3-2 leads before Tech rallied in the seventh to win.
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP: Brooks Dunn pitched 62/3 strong innings and Jeff Butts homered, leading Mississippi State to a 4-1 victory over Mississippi in the Southeastern Conference tournament championship in Hoover, Ala.
Shortly before the game, the Rebels (44-18) were awarded a host site for the NCAA regional for the second consecutive season while the Bulldogs (40-20) was passed over. The seventh-seeded Bulldogs went unbeaten en route to their sixth league tournament title, allowing just five earned runs in four games.
It was the first time the event featured an all-Mississippi finale and fans packed into Hoover Met Stadium to savor it, with 12,290 fans making up the third largest title game crowd.
elsewhere
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD: The fourth-ranked Miami women won three individual event titles and had 10 women automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Randall's Island, N.Y.
Miami recorded 81 points to finish second at the regional, marking the most points scored and highest finish in school history. South Carolina won the regional title with 102.25 points.
MEN'S TENNIS: Baylor's Benedikt Dorsch will face San Diego's Pierrik Ysern at noon today in the singles final of the NCAA Division I Tournament in College Station, Texas. Dorsch defeated Jonathan Chu of Harvard 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and Ysern topped Izak van der Merwe of Old Dominion 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals.
WOMEN'S ROWING: Nova Southeastern's varsity eight crew captured second place in the Division II Varsity 8+ Grand Final at the NCAA National Championships in Rancho Cordova, Calif.
NSU was edged by Western Washington, but the Knights defeated defending national champion Mercyhurst and Barry en route to medalist honors. Western Washington had a time of 06:48.72 and NSU 06:55.91. Mercyhurst College finished in 06:59.92 and Barry in 07:07.35.
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