FROSTBURG, Md. – Frostburg opens the 2016 New York (Auburn) Regional tomorrow at 6:00 pm and the department of athletics has taken an in-depth look at the matchup with Susquehanna and the New York (Auburn) Regional.
 
Frostburg Bobcats
The Bobcats are making their second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament after back-to-back impressive seasons. Last spring, FSU set numerous records, captured the program's first-ever NCAA Mideast Regional Championship and made its first appearance in the NCAA World Series.
 
Fast forward a year and Frostburg boasts a 32-10 overall record, spent much of the season ranked inside the top-25 and is making its third overall trip to the NCAA Tournament under coach Guy Robertson.
 
Robertson, who has 257 wins at the helm of FSU, has his club on a roll as his Bobcats captured the CAC regular-season title and capped their season with five wins in their final seven contests.
 
Frostburg is currently sixth in all of Division III home runs (43), 11^th in home runs per game (1.02), 24^th in runs scored (326) and 39^th in scoring (7.8).
 
Susquehanna Crusaders
Susquehanna is making its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in three years after winning the Landmark Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday.
 
The Crusaders enter the tournament with a 29-14 overall record. They are just one win shy of typing a program record, which they set back in 2014 in their last NCAA regional appearance.
 
Like Frostburg, SU boasts some impressive offensive numbers. It is ranked ninth in the nation in batting average (.340), eighth in doubles (104), 14^th in home runs (35), 18^th in on-base percentage (.418) and eighth in slugging percentage (.509).
 
The Matchup
Frostburg and Susquehanna have met just once before despite playing baseball for a combined 200-plus years. SU started competing in the 1890s, while FSU's first year of competition was in 1937.
 
Despite all that history, the Crusaders captured the only meeting in 2009 with an 11-7 home win.
 
New York (Auburn) Regional
The 2016 NCAA Baseball Playoffs start tomorrow as all eight regions open action and there is no denying that the New York (Auburn) Regional is the toughest of the group.
 
Of the eight teams that appeared in last year's World Series, seven return to the NCAA Tournament this year, while New York is the only regional to boast more than one World Series participant. And the New York Regional has three.
 
Joining Frostburg in Auburn, is defending National Champion and regional host Cortland, along with nationally-ranked, New Jersey Athletic Conference Champion and No. 2 seed Ramapo.
 
Rounding out the regional is Susquehanna (29-14) as the No. 4 seed, Union (N.Y.)(26-12) is seeded fifth, while Castleton (32-10) is sixth.
 
To top things off, Cortland has been ranked No. 1 in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 poll for the last four weeks, while Ramapo has been ranked inside the top-10 for much of the season including the number one ranking in mid-April.
 
Tournament Webpage
Tournament Schedule
Live Video
Live Stats
 
Players to Watch
According to D3baseball.com's New York Regional Preview, a trio of Bobcats have been listed as Players to Watch.
 
Junior outfielder Devin Bell, senior relief pitcher Nick Huff and sophomore starting pitcher Greg Schneider have all had impressive seasons in their own right.
 
Bell returned from a midseason injury to hit .377 and pace the Bobcats in slugging percentage (.858), RBI (44) and home runs (13).
 
Huff emerged as arguably the nation's top closer as he set both the Frostburg and the Capital Athletic Conference record for saves in a season with 12, a number that currently places him second in the nation. He also boasts four wins and a 1.76 ERA.
 
Schneider carries a 6-1 overall record into the regional and was named a D3baseball.com Preseason All-American. He is currently fourth in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (12.22) and 10^th in strikeouts (91). He also has one save and a 2.55 ERA.
 
Coach Robertson's Thoughts
"We are excited and honored to be selected to participate in this year's regional."
 
"This honor is a reflection of our players' hard work and dedication. I also feel it is a reflection of how the country views our program now not just locally or within the state of Maryland."
 
"The opportunity to play some of the nation's best in a regional is always a great challenge. But to compete against Ramapo and Cortland, considering the recent past, is also a unique and exciting opportunity."
 
"This is what you work for all year-the opportunity to play for a regional championship and a shot at the World Series."
 
"I am very happy for our whole team, but especially for our seniors and our assistant coaches.  They have worked extremely hard to get this group this far and are extremely deserving of this opportunity."