The Shippensburg University softball team will begin play in the 2013 PSAC Softball Championships at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Veterans Park in Quakertown.

Its opening contest will be against either Bloomsburg (Central No. 3 seed) or Gannon (West No. 3 seed), who will play at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the first game of the tournament.

Tickets are $10 per day. Children 12 and under, along with students of PSAC member institutions (ID card needed), will receive free admission.

Live statistics of all games can be accessed through the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference website and shipraiders.com. Links will change depending on the field being used. SU will play on Field 1 on Wednesday. The conference is not expected to provide programs at the tournament.

For the second consecutive year, the tournament is a double-elimination format.

Playing scenarios for Shippensburg on Thursday are listed below and will also be addressed in each game story posted to shipraiders.com.

PSAC Tournament (recent history)

• 2012: SU (East No. 2 seed) dropped its opening game of the tournament, a 9-5 loss to Lock Haven, before rebounding with a 3-2 win over Cal (West No. 1 seed). SU was eliminated from the tournament in its third game, an 8-0 loss to Kutztown.

• 2011: SU (East No. 1 seed) got to host one of the "pods", as the tournament at the time was split into three sites with three teams each. The Raiders hosted Central No. 2 seed IUP and West No. 3 seed Mercyhurst - defeating the Lakers 2-1 in its first game before being eliminated after 8-0 and 3-1 losses to the eventual conference champion Crimson Hawks.

• 2009: SU (East No. 2 seed) traveled to Lock Haven for "pod" play. The Raiders played three games on the opening day, beginning with a win over West No. 3 seed Slippery Rock, 3-2. SU then dropped a 7-0 decision to host Lock Haven and then, to cap off the day, eliminated Slippery Rock with an 11-5 win. (Recaps). The Raiders were eliminated the next day by Lock Haven, who went on to win the national championship that season.


Initial Playing Scenarios:

If Shippensburg wins its first game, the Raiders will play again at 1 p.m. Thursday against the winner of Game 4 (California or Mansfield) on Field 4.

If Shippensburg loses its first game, the Raiders will play again at 10 a.m. Thursday against the loser of Game 4 (California or Mansfield) in an elimination game on Field 1.

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If Shippensburg wins its first game (Wednesday) but loses its second game (Thursday), the Raiders will play again at 4 p.m. Thursday on Field 4.

If Shippensburg loses its first game (Wednesday) but wins its second game (Thursday), the Raiders will play again at 4 p.m. Thursday on Field 1.

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If Shippensburg wins its first game (Wednesday) and wins its second game (Thursday), the Raiders will play again at 10 a.m. Friday on Field 4.


Ship Softball Notes:

• The Raiders have thrived this season in the circle - pitching to a 1.32 team ERA that is the best in the PSAC and the fifth-best mark in Division II. SU also leads the PSAC with 16 shutouts and a .193 batting average against. All three SU pitchers - Emily Estep, Makenzie Lynn and Liz Parkins - boast ERAs of 1.58 or better. Additional information on each is posted below.

• SU entered the Apr. 21 NCAA reporting period with the best fielding percentage in Division II (.979). Through the completion of the regular season, the Raiders boasted a .980 fielding percentage (21 errors in 39 games).

• The Raiders boast an agressive skill set on the base paths and have stolen 73 bases this season. SU has only been caught 12 times. and ranks 28th in the country in stolen bases per game. Tyler Thompson boasts the single-season school record with 30 this season, Kiersten Darhower has 21 and Hilary Lyons is 10-of-10 in attempts.

• Estep, an All-Region and All-America candidate, is a four-time PSAC East Pitcher of the Week who enters the tournament 15-5 with a 1.08 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 123 innings.

• Lynn has stepped up with a productive sophomore season, going 6-4 with a 1.58 ERA despite having thrown four shutouts and nine complete games. She has struck out 77 in 88.2 innings.

• Parkins has thrived in utility role, going 9-0 with a 1.44 ERA in 10 starts (12 games) from the circle. She has struck out 62 in 63.1 innings. Also a third baseman, Parkins has chipped in with 12 RBIs in 59 at-bats this season.