LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola's quest for a trip to the 2009 NAIA World Series will begin in an all-too-familiar place as the Eagles head to Azusa Pacific as one of five teams at the Field Six Tournament of the 2009 NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.

The Eagles (34-22), who moved into the NAIA's Top 25 at No. 20 in the final regular season poll released on Tuesday, were one of 46 teams to earn a berth in the NAIA Baseball Championship Tournament, earning one of 14 at-large spots. 

The Opening Round Tournament begins on Tuesday (May 12) and runs through Friday (May 15). The winner of each of the nine opening round, double-elimination tournaments advances to the 2009 NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.

Biola drew the No. 3 seed in the Field Three Tournament and opens play against the University of British Columbia (37-11), the No. 2 seed and No. 12 team in the NAIA, at 2:15 p.m. 

GSAC Champion Point Loma Nazarene (38-11) also makes the short trip up to Azusa as the No. 1 seed with host APU (33-18) earning the No. 4 seed. Rounding out the field is Purdue University-North Central of Indiana (31-22).

The format for the Opening Round Tournament is similar to that of the GSAC Tournament. On the first day, the No. 4 and No. 5 teams will face off at 11:00 a.m. followed by the No. 2 and No. 3 teams at 2:15 p.m. The winner of the first game will advance to take on the No. 1 seed at 5:30 p.m.

Ticket prices for the tournament are $25 for a tournament pass and $10 for a day pass. More information will be available from the Azusa Pacific website at http://www.apu.edu/athletics.

The is the first year the NAIA has elected to use the Opening Round format after doing away with regional qualification at the end of last year. There are nine hosts for the Opening Round Tournaments. They are Lubbock Christian (Texas), Oklahoma City, Berry (Ga.), Embry-Riddle (Fla.), Lee (Tenn.), Azusa Pacific (Calif.), William Carey (Miss.), Lindenwood (Mo.), and Sioux City (Iowa).

“These hosts were selected because they have a history of hosting quality NAIA events both at the conference and national level,” said NAIA Manager of Championship Sports Scott McClure. “This new format allows top-rated teams from the same conferences to play at different opening round tournaments and then for the best teams to advance to Lewiston. We look forward to working with the hosts in this exciting, new chapter of NAIA baseball.”

Belhaven (Miss.), Bellevue (Neb.), Brescia (Ky.), British Columbia, Campbellsville (Ky.), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D), Embry-Riddle (Fla.), Houston-Victoria (Tex.), Indiana Tech, Jamestown (N.D.), Kansas Wesleyan, Lindenwood (Mo.), Lubbock Christian (Tex.), Malone (Ohio), McKendree (Ill.), Northwood (Tex.), Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), Southern Polytechnic State (Ga.), Taylor (Ind.), Tennessee Wesleyan, Union (Tenn.) and William Penn (Iowa) all received an automatic bid after winning their respective conference/independent/unaffiliated tournaments.

Berry (Ga.), Nebraska Wesleyan, Oklahoma City, Purdue-North Central (Ind.), St. Xavier (Ill.), Texas Wesleyan, The Masters (Calif.), Union (Ky.) and William Jewell (Mo.) earned an automatic bid based on their conference qualification plan.

Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), Azusa Pacific (Calif.), Biola (Calif.), Cumberland (Tenn.), Fresno Pacific (Calif.), Lee (Tenn.), LSU-Shreveport (La.), Madonna (Mich.), Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.), Southern Nazarene (Okla.), Spring Arbor (Mich.), Warner (Fla.), Wayland Baptist (Tex.), and William Carey (Miss.) all received an at-large bid.