Fresh off the team’s best season since joining Conference USA, Liberty’s baseball team turns its attention to NCAA Tournament play. The Flames are headed to Georgia and the Athens Regional to begin play Friday at Foley Field against Boston College (36-21). No. 3 seed and regional host Georgia (46-12) will take on Long Island (30-20) in the other game. First pitch for the Flames is 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

According to Warren Nolan, the host Bulldogs are the heavy favorites with a 77.4% chance to win the regional. They are followed by Boston College at 12.5%, Liberty and 10.0%, and Long Island is given a 0.1% chance.

Before regional play begins Friday, let’s take a deeper look at each of the four teams headed to Athens.

#1 Georgia

  • #7 RPI
  • 46-12 overall
  • 23-7 SEC
  • SEC regular season and tournament champs
  • Head coach Wes Johnson, 3rd season
  • #24 Strength of Schedule
  • 15-7 vs Quad 1 opponents
  • 5-2 vs Quad 2 opponents
  • #2 in Baseball America’s ranking of all 64 teams in NCAA Tournament
  • 5 players with 17 or more home runs
  • 1-1 vs Conference USA teams this season (Kennesaw State)
  • Last Regional appearance: 2025, 1-2 in Athens Regional
  • 18th NCAA Tournament appearance overall, third straight
  • 6 College World Series appearances, last in 2008

#2 Boston College

  • #34 RPI
  • 36-21 overall
  • 17-13 ACC
  • 4th place ACC regular season finish, 0-1 in ACC Tournament
  • Head coach Todd Interdonato, 3rd season
  • #52 Strength of Schedule
  • 5-11 vs Quad 1 opponents
  • 8-3 vs Quad 2 opponents
  • #40 in Baseball America’s ranking of all 64 teams in NCAA Tournament
  • 14th nationally with 139 stolen bases
  • 2-0 vs Conference USA teams this season (FIU)
  • Last Regional appearance: 2023, 2-2 in Tuscaloosa Regional
  • 10th NCAA Tournament appearance overall
  • 4 College World Series appearances, last in 1967

#3 Liberty

  • #32 RPI
  • 41-19 overall
  • 21-9 Conference USA
  • 2nd place CUSA regular season finish, 3-1 in CUSA Tournament losing in championship
  • Head coach Bradley LeCroy, 2nd season
  • #64 Strength of Schedule
  • 10-10 vs Quad 1 opponents
  • 7-4 vs Quad 2 opponents
  • #32 in Baseball America’s ranking of all 64 teams in NCAA Tournament
  • Last Regional appearance: 2022, 0-2 in Gainesville Regional
  • 9th NCAA Tournament appearance overall
  • 0 College World Series appearances

#4 Long Island

  • #199 RPI
  • 30-20 overall
  • 26-7 NEC
  • NEC regular season and tournament champs
  • Head coach Dan Pirillo, 10th season
  • #297 Strength of Schedule
  • 0-0 vs Quad 1 opponents
  • 0-3 vs Quad 2 opponents
  • #62 in Baseball America’s ranking of all 64 teams in NCAA Tournament
  • Six players have on-base percentages of .430 or better and the team hit .301
  • 0-0 vs Conference USA teams this season
  • Last Regional appearance: 2024, 0-2 in Chapel Hill Regional
  • 5th NCAA Tournament appearance overall, third in five years
  • 0 College World Series appearances