NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team will be seeded fourth in next week's Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship and will meet top seed and tournament host VCU in the tournament's first game at noon on Thursday, May 27.

The Hawks finished second in the Atlantic 10 North Division after winning their final five games, including a four-game sweep to overtake crosstown rival La Salle.  SJU and La Salle finished the season with identical 15-9 records in conference play, and the Hawks moved on by virtue of a 5-3 head-to-head record.

VCU claimed the top seed with a 13-3 record in league play.  Finishing the regular season 34-13 and on an 18-game winning streak, the Rams will host the Hawks in the first game on Thursday, with the winner moving on to Friday's semifinal and the loser playing an elimination game on Thursday night.

In the other opening round game, second-seeded Dayton will take on third-seeded Rhode Island.  The Flyers finished 12-4 in conference play and 22-25 overall, while the Rams went 14-6 to claim the Atlantic 10 North title and finished the regular season at 27-24-1 overall.

The tournament is a double-elimination format, with three games on Thursday, two on Friday, and then one or two games on Saturday.  The Championship will be open to spectators, with appropriate social distancing pursuant to stadium, VCU, and City of Richmond regulations.  Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling the VCU ticket office at 804-828-RAMS or by clicking here.  Tickets are general admission, but there will be seating pods throughout the stadium to adhere to social distancing guidelines.  Each ticket grants access into ALL games on that day, and all tickets will be delivered to the purchaser's mobile device 24 hours prior to the first game.

All games of the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship will be aired on ESPN+.  For watch links, results, photos and more visit Baseball Championship Central at atlantic10.com.