After finishing the regular season with a 33-22 record, the Arizona baseball team has earned a postseason birth as a No. 3 seed and will take on No. 2-seeded Baylor University in the Fort Worth Regional, ESPN announced earlier today.

The Wildcats will take on the Bears (34-22) at Texas Christian University on Friday.

“”I am very excited to continue coaching this team,”” Arizona head coach Andy Lopez told Arizona Athletics. “”I have said all year long, I truly enjoy coaching this team. They are a fun group to be around and they compete really well.””

Top-seeded TCU and No. 4 seed Lamar University round out the Fort Worth Regional.

The Wildcats missed out on postseason play last year after a disappointing 35-30 finish, but Arizona came back in 2010 with a revamped roster featuring 17 freshmen, and will return to the postseason for the sixth time in the last eight seasons.

Although Arizona went 3-7 in its last 10 games after rattling off 15 straight wins early in the season, the Wildcats benefitted from a strong Pacific 10 Conference that will have eight representatives in the tournament.

ASU and UCLA earned the No. 1 and No. 6 overall seeds, respectively, while Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and California were also chosen to the field of 64.

“”I think our overall strength of schedule, the strength of the league, and the quality of the teams we beat throughout the season is what earned us a seed,”” Lopez said. “”You never want to leave it in the hands of a committee to decide, but we’re excited to be in the tournament and I believe we strongly deserved to be in. And, once you’re in, it’s an even playing field for everyone. We’re going to be ready to compete.””