The Albany State University Golden Rams hope to bring the 2012 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) baseball championship title home as they compete during the SIAC Baseball Tournament, which kicks off Thursday in Ozark, Ala. The championship tournament is Thursday, April 26, through Sunday, April 29, at Eagle Memorial Park in Ozark.

Only the top four teams in the East and West divisions were invited to participate in the double-elimination tournament. The Golden Rams enter as the No. three East seed. Other participating teams from the East Division are the No. 1 Claflin University Panthers, No. 2 Paine College Lions, No. 4 Benedict College Tigers. West Division teams include No. 1 Stillman College Tigers, No. 2 Miles College Bears, No. 3 Kentucky State University Thorobreds and No. 4 Tuskegee University Golden Tigers.

Baseball tournament action begins Thursday at 9 a.m. with Claflin against Tuskegee. The Golden Rams will play Miles College at 12 p.m., and Stillman and Benedict will play at 3 p.m. The nightcap features Paine against Kentucky State at 6 p.m. The winner of the Albany State-Miles game will play the winner of the Claflin-Tuskegee game on Friday at 3 p.m. The championship game is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner will represent the SIAC in the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament in May.

For more information about the tournament, results and updates throughout the event, visit the baseball championship page at www.thesiac.com. Follow the SIAC on Twitter (@TheSIAC) and ‘like’ the SIAC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thesiac) for the latest scores and updates.

2012 SIAC Baseball Championship Schedule:

Thursday, April 26

Game 1 – 9:00 am – #1E Claflin vs. #4W Tuskegee
Game 2 – 12:00 pm – #2W Miles vs.#3E  Albany State
Game 3 – 3:00 pm – #1W Stillman vs. #4E Benedict
Game 4 – 6:00 pm – #2E Paine vs. #3W Kentucky State

Friday, April 27

Game 5 – 9:00 am – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Game 6 – 12:00 pm – Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
Game 7 – 3:00 pm – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 8 – 6:00 pm – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Saturday, April 28

Game 9 – 9:00 am – Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 10 – 12:00 pm – Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 6
Game 11 – 3:00 pm – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8
Game 12 – 6:00 pm – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10

Sunday, April 29

Game 13 – 10:00 am – Loser Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12
Game 14 – 1:00 pm – Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13

Monday, April 30

**Game 15 – 10:00 a.m.

**If necessary (Game will be played only if ‘Winner of Game 11’ loses in Game 14)