It’s down to this

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: May 3, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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The Western Division title is coming down to the final weekend series between Southern University and Prairie View once again.

Southern (23-15, 15-6 Western Division), with a one-game lead, plays a doubleheader of seven-inning games at 1 p.m. today at two-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champ Prairie View (21-21, 14-7).

The teams conclude the three-game set with a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“The schedule makers couldn’t have done it any better,” Southern coach Roger Cador said.

More important than the division title is the division’s No. 1 seed in the SWAC tournament set May 14-18 at SU’s Lee-Hines Field.

Because the tournament has been expanded from three to four teams in each division, the Western Division’s No. 1 seed will draw the Eastern Division’s No. 4 seed. That’s Alabama State (13-20), which rarely makes the tournament.

“I don’t want our kids to believe playing a four seed there’s anything given,” Cador said.

Momentum and confidence are also on the line. Prairie View beat SU in last season’s tournament title game. And SU beat PV in 2005, the eighth title in 10 years for the Jaguars.

“You can build going into the tournament,” Cador said.

The tournament will play out as two double-elimination brackets. The winner of each bracket will meet in a winner-take-all single game at 1 p.m. May 18 on ESPNU.

“It’s always good to win a division, but it’s not the most important thing,” Cador said. “Winning the tournament is the most important thing. But you’d like to make a stand. And because what this team has been through with injuries, you’d like to see that accomplishment. That would be nice for them, because it’s been a team effort.”

SU will continue to be without third baseman/leadoff hitter Romeo Bracey (.356, 42 runs, 28 RBIs), who has missed five games with a broken hamate bone in his left wrist. Bracey said he’s hoping to return for the SWAC tournament.

Michael Gavion (.364, 14 runs, 14 RBIs) has taken Bracey’s spot at third and at the top of the lineup.