SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The 2023 River States Conference (RSC) Softball Championship bracket is set with the regular season concluded. There will be six teams at Little Creek Park in South Charleston, W.Va., Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6 battling it out for the conference crown. The winner will earn an automatic qualification to the NAIA National Championship.
The top three teams from the RSC East & West Divisions qualified for the championship. This is the first time that Little Creek Park and South Charleston, W.Va., will host the softball postseason. The GPS location of the park is 971 Charles Highway, South Charleston, WV 25309.
Indiana University Southeast is the No. 1 overall seed as the RSC regular-season champion. The Grenadiers are 30-15 overall and had the best win percentage in conference at 22-6 to lock up the top seed and the RSC West Division lead. That gives IU Southeast an automatic bid to nationals. The Grenadiers have a bye into semifinals on Friday at 12:00 p.m.
University of Rio Grande (Ohio) is the No. 2 overall seed as the RSC East Division champion. The RedStorm is 34-16 overall, 22-8 RSC and also gets a bye into the semifinals Friday at 12:00 p.m.
The championship begins with the first round Thursday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. That pits Point Park (Pa.) University (21-16, 18-11 RSC), the No. 2 seed from the RSC East, versus St. Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.) College (32-14, 18-8 RSC), the No. 3 seed from the RSC West. The winner plays IU Southeast in the winner's bracket.
The other first-round game at 3:00 p.m. features No. 2 Midway (Ky.) University (27-17, 20-8 RSC) versus No. 3 WVU Tech (23-25, 13-17) from the RSC East. The winner moves on in the winner's bracket to face Rio Grande.
Friday continues with elimination games at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. with the winner's bracket final in between at 4:00 p.m. Saturday starts with the loser's bracket final at 10:00 a.m. and the championship round starting at 1:00 p.m. If necessary, a second championship round will be 30 minutes following.
The RSC Game Central presented by Stretch Internet will broadcast live streaming video of all games of the championship. Subscribe for $7.95 per game or $19.99 for the entire tournament. Live stats will be provided on PrestoStats.
Click the link above for the complete championship bracket and schedule. Check back at this site for links to live coverage as well as scores, stats and updates throughout the championship.
2023 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 4-6 at South Charleston, W.Va. (Little Creek Park)
Thursday, May 4
Gm 1 (Field A) -- No. 2 (East) Point Park (21-16) vs. No. 3 (West) St. Mary-of-the-Woods (32-14) -- 3:00 p.m.
Gm 2 (Field B) -- No. 2 (West) Midway (27-17) vs. No. 3 (East) WVU Tech (23-25) -- 3:00 p.m.
Friday, May 5
Gm 3 (Field A) -- No. 1 (West) IU Southeast (30-15) vs. Winner Game 1 -- 12:00 p.m.
Gm 4 (Field B) -- No. 1 (East) Rio Grande (34-16) vs. Winner Game 2 -- 12:00 p.m.
Gm 5 (Field B) -- Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3 -- 2:00 p.m. (Loser Elim.)
Gm 6 (Field A) -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4 -- 2:00 p.m. (Loser Elim.)
Gm 7 (Field A) -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 -- 4:00 p.m.
Gm 8 (Field B) -- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 -- 6:00 p.m. (Loser Elim.)
Saturday, May 6
Gm 9 (Field A) -- Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 -- 10:00 a.m. (Loser Elim.)
Gm 10 (Field A) -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9 -- 1:00 p.m. (Loser Elim. if second loss)
Gm 11 (if necessary) (Field A) -- Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 -- 30 min following (Loser Elim.)
