HOST: N.C. State (No. 1 seed in region)

TICKETS: On sale until 4:30 p.m. today for Wolfpack Club members and season-ticket holders; on sale to the general public at 5 p.m. today on www.gopack.com; all orders after 5 p.m. today are subject to availability.

FRIDAY'S GAMES: No. 2 South Carolina vs. No. 3 Charlotte, 2 p.m.; No. 1 N.C. State vs. No. 4 James Madison, 7 p.m.

REGIONAL WINNER: Advances to play the winner of the Athens, Ga., Regional (No. 1 seed Georgia, No. 2 seed Georgia Tech, No. 3 seed Louisville, No. 4 seed Lipscomb)

NO. 1 N.C. STATE

COACH: Elliott Avent

RECORD: 38-20 overall, 18-11 ACC

NCAA BID: at-large

KEEP AN EYE ON: Senior shortstop Tommy Foschi and junior third baseman Drew Martin were named to the ACC all-tournament team. Junior right-hander Clayton Shunick, a first-team All-ACC selection, has a 2.12 ERA.

FAST FACT: The Pack finished fourth in Division I in the regular season with a 3.36 team earned run average.

NO. 2 SOUTH CAROLINA

COACH: Ray Tanner

RECORD: 38-21 overall, 15-15 Southeastern Conference

NCAA BID: at-large

KEEP AN EYE ON: First baseman Justin Smoak is batting .389 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs, earning first- team All-SEC honors. Shortstop Reese Havens, the Gamecocks' leadoff hitter, is batting .360 with 16 HRs and 51 RBIs, and was named to the SEC's All-Defensive team.

KEY STAT: The Gamecocks are 10-11 on the road this season.

FAST FACT: Tanner played at N.C. State and was a Wolfpack assistant coach and then head coach from 1988-1996 before going to South Carolina.

NO. 3 CHARLOTTE

COACH: Loren Hibbs

RECORD: 43-14 overall, 19-8 in Atlantic 10 Conference

NCAA BID: Atlantic 10 champion

KEEP AN EYE ON: Senior catcher Chris Taylor was voted Atlantic 10 player of the year, leading the league with 18 homers and 66 RBIs. Second baseman Corey Shaylor was chosen the A-10 freshman of the year, leading the 49ers with a .373 batting average.

KEY STAT: The 49ers are batting .331 as a team, ranking 15th in Division I.

FAST FACT: Charlotte has put together back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time in school history.

NO. 4 JAMES MADISON

COACH: Joe "Spanky" McFarland

RECORD: 38-17 overall, 20-9 Colonial Athletic Association

NCAA BID: CAA champion

KEEP AN EYE ON: Junior outfielder Brett Sellers, a first-team All-CAA pick, ranks among the national leaders with a .414 batting average, with 16 homers and 52 RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Steven Caseres leads JMU with 21 homers and 68 RBIs, driving in 10 runs in the CAA tournament.

FAST FACT: JMU's pitching staff has a 5.64 ERA.

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