Bracket

Includes information from Norfolk State Athletic Communications


2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball champion Norfolk State will head to North Carolina for the NCAA Baseball Championship, taking on No. 13 national seed East Carolina on Friday in the Greenville Regional.

The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 with a 12 p.m. first pitch.

Maryland and Charlotte will also be in the Greenville Regional for the double-elimination format.

Norfolk State (25-26) won its first-ever MEAC title on May 15 with a 7-6, extra-inning win over North Carolina Central -- thanks to a walkoff single from MEAC Championship Outstanding Performer Alsander Womack with the bases loaded.

The Spartans also boast MEAC Player of the Year Danny Hosley.

East Carolina, which will host the Greenville Regional at Clark-LeClair Stadium, went 41-15 this season and 20-8 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to win the league's regular-season title for the second straight year. The Pirates, who fell in the AAC Tournament to UCF, boast AAC Player of the Year Connor Norby, Pitcher of the Year Gavin Williams and Coach of the Year Cliff Godwin.

“I’m so happy for our players, their families and the University,” Spartans head coach Keith Shumate said. “We didn’t care where they put us, we’re just excited to be part of the tournament. We look forward to competing against some excellent ball clubs.”

The Spartans will be facing East Carolina for the sixth time. The Pirates lead the all-time series with Norfolk State 5-0, including a 9-1 win in 2018. Norfollk State is 0-1 all-time against Maryland (a 1-0 loss in 2012) and has never faced Charlotte.