RALEIGH, N.C. – Defending conference champion Saint Augustine's University will take on Chowan University in the first round of the CIAA Softball Championship at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Thursday, April 28, 2016, at 10 a.m. The double-elimination tournament will be held through Saturday, April 30. Admission is free.

The contest is a rematch of last year's championship round. The Lady Falcons took the second game 8-2 in Raleigh, N.C., to win the CIAA title and earn their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

This year, the Lady Falcons (8-24 overall) enter the tournament as the Southern Division No. 4 seed while Chowan University (25-12 overall) is the Northern Division top seed. Eight teams – the top four from the Northern and Southern Divisions – qualified for the postseason tournament.

The Lady Falcons are led by Marley Parker (So./Langley, British Columbia) and Akera McPhaul (So./Greensboro, NC). Parker ranks second in the CIAA and seventh nationally in Division II in batting average (.477). Akera McPhaul (So./Greensboro, NC) leads the nation in Division II in triples per game (0.20) and Danyelle Duckworth (Fr./Orange Park, FL) ranks third in the CIAA in stolen bases (16).

The Saint Augustine's University-Chowan winner will take on the Winston-Salem State University-Virginia Union University winner on Thursday at 3 p.m. The Saint Augustine's University-Chowan loser will play the Winston-Salem State-Virginia Union loser in the elimination bracket on Thursday at 12:30 p.m.

Below is the CIAA Softball Championship schedule:

Thursday, April 28

First Round

Game 1 - Northern No. 1 Chowan vs. Southern No. 4 Saint Augustine's University, 10 a.m.

Game 2 - Southern No. 2 Winston-Salem State vs. Northern No. 3 Virginia Union, 10 a.m.

Game 3 - Southern No. 1 Fayetteville State vs. Northern No. 4 Virginia State, 10 a.m.

Game 4 - Northern No. 2 Bowie State vs. Southern No. 3 Johnson C. Smith, 10 a.m.

Elimination Bracket

Game 5 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 12:30 p.m.

Game 6 - Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser, 12:30 p.m.

Winner's Bracket

Game 7 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 3 p.m.

Game 8 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 3 p.m.

Friday, April 29

Elimination Bracket

Game 9 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser, 10 a.m.

Game 10 - Game 5 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser, 10 a.m.

Game 12 – Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 12:30 p.m.

Game 13 – Game 12 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser, 5:30 p.m.

Winner's Bracket

Game 11 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Winner, 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 30

Championship Round

Game 14 - Game 11 Winner vs. Game 13 Winner, 12 p.m.

Game 15 – Game 11 Winner vs. Game 13 Winner (If necessary), 30 minutes after first game