CHARLOTTE, NC - The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces the field for its 2023 Softball Championship. The single elimination tournament featuring the top eight CIAA teams, based on conference winning percentage, will begin Tuesday, May 2 with quarterfinal action on the campus of the higher seed. Advancing teams will head to the semifinal and championship rounds on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6, which will be hosted at RF&P Park in Glen Allen, VA.
 
All quarterfinal games will begin at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (if game is necessary), unless otherwise noted by the hosting institution. First pitch on Friday is set for 10 a.m. while Saturday’s action will begin with the final elimination game at 11a.m. First pitch for the championship round is tentatively slated for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

This year’s field is led by top overall seed Bowie State, who finished the regular season with a 14-2 conference record on their way to claiming their first CIAA Softball Championship title since 2009. The  Bulldogs will host no. 8 seed Virginia Union (6-10 in the CIAA).

Reigning Champions, Claflin (14-2) enters as the no. 2 seed and will host Johnson C. Smith (7-9), who comes in as the no. 7 seed. Winston-Salem State (12-4) comes in as the no. 3 seed and will host no. 6 seed Elizabeth City State (10-6) while fourth seeded Virginia State (10-6) will play host to fifth seeded Fayetteville State (10-6). (Note: first pitch for this game is set for 3:30 p.m.)

Quarterfinal action will be live streamed by the host institution on the CIAA Sports Network (CIAASN - https://theciaasn.com/). All semifinal and championship games this weekend will also be broadcast live via the CIAASN.

A complete look at the softball championship bracket can be viewed HERE. For all information on the 2023 CIAA Softball Championship, please visit HERE.

For more information about the CIAA, visit www.theciaa.com or follow the conference on social media via Facebook (The CIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), and Instagram (@CIAASports).