SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Starting next year, the Pac-12 Conference will end its regular season with a baseball tournament to determine the conference champion, with the first tournament being played in Scottsdale next May.
In a press release, the Pac-12 announced that the tournament was created "in partnership with the City of Scottsdale and The Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission."
"The Pac-12 Baseball Tournament is a marquee event that will serve to enhance the exposure of the Conference's baseball programs with competitive, late-season matchups prior to NCAA Tournament selections," Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff said in the release. "It will also provide student-athletes with a first-class experience and the opportunity to compete for a championship in a premier destination for the sport on the West Coast. A lot of work has gone into the creation of this tournament and we are grateful for the partnership with the City of Scottsdale and The Arizona Sports & Entertainment Commission in making it a reality."
The first tournament will be held at Scottsdale Stadium, the Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants, May 25-29, 2022. The agreement between the Pac-12 and the City of Scottsdale runs through 2024, meaning at least the first three tournaments will be held in the Valley.
"Scottsdale Stadium is the perfect venue for the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament," Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega said in the release. "Our city has a long history with Major League Baseball, including a nearly 40-year relationship with the San Francisco Giants, and we're ecstatic to be able to add Pac-12 baseball to the mix. We look forward to the roar of fans at the ballpark as the Conference crowns its champion in Scottsdale."
The top eight teams in the Pac-12 Conference standings will earn berths in the tournament, and the tournament champion will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Currently, 24 other Division I conferences end their regular seasons with conference tournaments.
Last year, six Pac-12 teams, including ASU and UArizona, earned berths in the NCAA tournament. That's tied for the second-most in Pac-12 history. The Sun Devils were eliminated in the regionals and the Wildcats made it to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, where they were eliminated after two games.
At least one Pac-12 team has made the College World Series all but seven times since the World Series was created in 1947. A Pac-12 team has finished as the national champion or the runner-up 39 times.
The most recent Pac-12 national champion was Oregon State, who won in 2018. UArizona's last national championship was in 2012 (they finished as the runner-up in 2016), while Arizona State's last national championship was in 1981.
ASU has the fourth-most national championships in NCAA history with five, while USC has the most with 12. UArizona has four.
More details about the tournament will be announced at a later date.
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