EAST STROUDSBURG - For the first time in school history, East Stroudsburg University has qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament in both baseball and softball. The programs are making their first PSAC postseason appearances in 22 and 26 years, respectively, as they prepare for their games later this week.

"We're very excited to send both the baseball and softball teams to the PSAC Tournament this year," said Dr. Tom Gioglio, Director of Athletics. "Our coaching staffs have worked extremely hard to bring talented student-athletes to ESU, and have worked with those athletes to reach their potential and position both of these programs as contenders in the conference."

The PSAC Baseball Tournament will be held at Slippery Rock beginning on Wednesday and continuing through Saturday. ESU, the No. 3 seed in the East, will open against California, the West's No. 1 seed, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. A victory would place the Warriors in the 12 p.m. game on Thursday against either Slippery Rock (W2) or West Chester (E2), while a loss would put ESU in the 6 p.m. game on Thursday vs. Kutztown (E1) or Shippensburg (W3).

ESU has won the PSAC baseball championship four times in its history, but only once (1971) in a tournament format. The Warriors' first three championships came in 1957, 1963 and 1969, when the champion was determined by a ratings system. The most recent appearance came in 1985, when ESU went 3-2 and placed second in the conference.

The PSAC Softball Tournament will be hosted by Kutztown starting Thursday. ESU is the No. 3 seed in the East and will begin the tournament on Thursday at 12 p.m. against the No. 2 seed in the West, which is yet to be determined. From there, a win would put ESU in the 4:30 p.m. game against Kutztown (E1), while a loss would set up an elimination game on Friday at 10 a.m.

The tournament appearance is just third in program history for ESU softball, following back-to-back appearances in 1980 and 1981. The Warriors won all three of their games in 1980 to claim their only PSAC championship, and placed third the following year.

PSAC Baseball Tournament Schedule (first two days)

May 2

Game 1 (4 p.m.) - Slippery Rock (W2) vs. West Chester (E2)

Game 2 (7 p.m.) - California (W1) vs. East Stroudsburg (E3)

May 3

Game 3 (9 a.m.) - Kutztown (E1) vs. Shippensburg (W3)

Game 4 (12 p.m.) - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2

Game 5 (3 p.m.) - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 3

Game 6 (6 p.m.) - Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 2

PSAC Softball Tournament Schedule

May 3

Game 1 (10 a.m.) - Bloomsburg (E2) vs. TBA (W3)

Game 2 (12 p.m.) - TBA (W2) vs. East Stroudsburg (E3)

Game 3 (2:30 p.m.) - Lock Haven (W1) vs. Winner Game 1

Game 4 (4:30 p.m.) - Kutztown (E1) vs. Winner Game 2

May 4

Game 5 (10 a.m.) - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2

Game 6 (12 p.m.) - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4

Game 7 (2:30 p.m.) - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Game 8 (4:30 p.m.) - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6

May 5

Game 9 (11 a.m.) - Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7

Game 10 (1 p.m.) - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9

Game 11 (3 p.m.) - Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 (if necessary)