RELEASE DATE: 5/01/05
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MANSFIELD TO FACE CALIFORNIA IN OPENING ROUND OF PSAC BASEBALL PLAYOFFS – GAME SET FOR 9 A.M. AT SHANER SPORTS COMPLEX IN BOALSBURG

MANSFIELD – The Mansfield University Mountaineers, the #2 seeded team in the PSAC East, will face the California University Vulcans, the #2 seeded team in the PSAC West in the opening round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Playoffs at 9 a.m. Monday, May 9, at the Shaner Sports Complex in Boalsburg.

The PSAC West seeding had to wait until the end of the second game of the Slippery Rock-Lock Haven game which did not end until almost 9 p.m Saturday. Lock Haven beat Slippery Rock 8-4 in that game to put the PSAC West standings in a four-way tie for first place among Clarion, California, Shippensburg and Slippery Rock all with 12-8 records.

Clarion was awarded the #1 seed because of a tie breaker with the most wins against the other three teams. California finished second and Shippensburg third. Slippery Rock, which entered Saturday alone in first place in the PSAC West, was eliminated from the expanded playoffs.

Mansfield, which finished the PSAC East season with a 15-5 mark, was second to West Chester (17-3) with Kutztown finishing third.

Mansfield and California split a doubleheader at California earlier this season. California won the tournament last season, beating Mansfield in the opening round.

All Mansfield games will be broadcast live back into the Twin Tiers on WELM 1410 AM and can also be heard live on the world wide web at www.mansfield.edu and click on athletics from the quick links menu for the link to the live broadcast.

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference baseball championship will return to the Shaner Sports Complex outside of Boalsburg, Pa., for 2005.  This year’s tournament is slated to run Monday, May 9 through Wednesday, May 11. 

What’s more, the league has expanded its tournament from a four-team field to a six-team field for 2005, showcasing its top three teams from the Eastern and Western Divisions.  To accommodate the additional two teams, the championship participants will make use of both of the complex’s top-notched fields.

On the first day of competition play will begin at 9 a.m., followed by games at 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.  Two games will take place at each of the designated times.  A full tournament schedule is listed below.    

The Shaner Sports Complex is a state-of-the-art facility that claims Centre County’s first lighted NCAA regulation field.  The complex is comprised of two NCAA regulation fields, the first built in 1999 and the second just a year later.  The original field has lights for nighttime games and also features bleachered seating down both baselines.  Both fields have a lighted scoreboard and PA system, and the complex has a concession and picnic area as well as room for vendors.  

Currently the complex is the home to the State College and Penns Valley American Legion teams.  Part of an ongoing project, the complex is slated to eventually house playing fields for Little League baseball and softball.

"Our programs are excited about the return to Shaner,” said PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray.  “We had a great experience here last year, and quite frankly, we see this as the perfect venue as host an expanded tournament this year.  When you factor in its central location, it makes a lot of sense for our Pennsylvania-based teams.”

More information about the Shaner Complex and the surrounding area can be found at:
www.championbb.com   

Looking to provide the student-athletes with a quality tournament experience, the Shaner Complex is one of several great facilities to host the conference baseball championships over the past decade.  The PSAC had played its baseball championships at Bear Stadium in Boyertown, Pa from 2001-03.  In 2000, the tournament was held in Altoona’s Blair County Ballpark, and took place at Bowman Field in Williamsport throughout most of the mid and late 1990s.

PSAC baseball participates on the NCAA Division II level.  The league has proven to be highly competitive, as one of its 12 teams have qualified to play in the College World Series in 13 of the past 14 years, including Mansfield University, a national runner-up in 1992.  In addition, numerous former PSAC student-athletes are currently on professional baseball rosters.

The PSAC consists of the 14 schools in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.  Those institutions are: Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.  Twelve teams are vying for postseason berths, as Cheyney and Edinboro do not sponsor baseball.

For more information about the PSAC, check out the PSAC Web site at:
www.psacsports.org

2005 Tournament Schedule

Monday, May 9

9:00 AM
Game 1:        East 1 (West Chester) vs. West 3 (Shippensburg)
Game 2:        East 2 (Mansfield) vs. West 2 (California)

12:30 PM
Game 3:        West 1 (Clarion) vs. East 3 (Kutztown)
Game 4:        Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

4:00 PM
Game 5:        Winner Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3
Game 6:        Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3

-- If FOUR teams remain after Game 6, the following procedure will be used:
Tuesday, May 10

Noon
Game 7:        Winner Game 5 vs Winner Game 6

3:30 pm
Game 8:        Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 6

7:00 pm
Game 9:        Loser Game 7 vs Winner Game 8

Wednesday, May 11

1:00 pm
Game 10:       Winner Game 7 vs Winner Game 9

4:30 pm
Game 11:       If necessary (20 minutes after conclusion of Game 10

-- If FIVE teams remain after Game 6, the following procedure will be used:

Tuesday, May 10

Noon
Game 7:  Loser Game 5 vs Loser Game 6

3:30 pm
Game 8:        Winner Game 4 vs Winner Game 5

7:00 pm
Game 9:        Winner Game 6 vs Winner Game 7

-- If TWO teams remain after Game 9, the following procedure will be used:

Wednesday, May 11

1:00 pm
Game 10:       Winner Game 8 vs Winner Game 9

4:30 pm
Game 11:       If necessary, same two teams

-- If THREE teams remain after Game 9, the following procedure will be used:

Wednesday, May 11

1:00 pm
Game 10        Winner Game 8 vs Loser Game 9

4:30 pm
Game 11        Winner Game 9 vs Winner Game 10