Azusa Pacific has been selected as 1 of 15 finalists to host the 2009 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at the Cougar Baseball Complex.

The Opening Rounds will be played May 12-15, at 9 different sites. Five teams will appear at each site in a double-elimination format. The NAIA will announce the 9 Opening Round hosts on Friday, May 8.

The winners of each of the 9 Opening Round tournaments advance to the 2009 Avista-NAIA World Series, to be played on May 22-29 in Lewiston, Idaho, where they will join host and 3-time defending NAIA championship Lewis-Clark State to comprise the 10-team championship bracket.

The NAIA’s No. 8-ranked Azusa Pacific has started the 2009 season with a 7-1 record and continues GSAC play with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Concordia on Saturday, Feb. 14.