It was only a matter of time when the UTB/TSC baseball team would qualify for the NAIA National Baseball Championship Opening Round.

That time is 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hays Field in Lubbock when the Scorpions meet Mount Marty College (S.D.) in the first game of the Group 4 tournament.

Five teams are ready to go at nine sites around the country, with the winner of each site advancing to the Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho May 28-June 4.

Not many people are giving the fifth-seeded Scorpions much of a chance at the Opening Round, which suits head coach Bryan Aughney just fine.

"We're still a new face, and new to this level, but so is almost everyone else," Aughney said. "We have to earn ourselves some recognition. You like to be one of those top three seeds, but we have to start somewhere."

The Scorpions earned their way to Lubbock by placing second in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth May 6. The trip to the national level is the first for the baseball team, but the fourth for Scorpion athletic programs in 2009-10. In the fall, the men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball teams all advanced to the NAIA National Tournament.

UTB/TSC played well in Fort Worth as the fourth seed out of six teams and Aughney would not be surprised for the team to do well in Lubbock as well.

"We just have to continue to do what we've been doing," Aughney said. "The team that plays the best over the next few days will come out on top."

UTB/TSC (30-22) is facing Mount Marty (35-15) for the first time in school in any sport.

"Obviously we haven't seen them play," Aughney said. "They have some guys who have been swinging the sticks real well. It should be a good battle. They're in here for the first time as well so it should be fun."

The winner of the game faces top-seed and defending national champion Lubbock Christian University at 6 p.m. The loser faces the loser of the Tuesday afternoon game between York (Neb.) and Avila (Mo.) at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Game 1: #4 Mount Marty, S.D. (35-15) vs. #5 UTB/TSC (30-22), 11 a.m.

Game 2: #2 York, Neb. (44-7) vs. Avila, Mo. (36-12), 2:30 p.m.

Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Lubbock Christian University (43-13), 6 p.m.

Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 11 a.m.

Game 5: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 2:30 p.m.

Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 6 p.m.

Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 5 loser, 1 p.m.

Championship: Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 5 p.m.

Championship (if necessary): Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 1 p.m.