May 9, 2011

LOS ANGELES - LMU will be aiming for its fourth Pacific Coast Softball Conference Championship this weekend when the Lions travel to Portland State for their first appearance in the PCSC Championship Series. The Lions and Vikings will play a three-game series this Friday and Saturday at Erv Lind Stadium for the right to represents the conference at the NCAA Tournament.

The best-of-three series will get underway with a single game on Friday, May 13, starting at 3 p.m. Game two will be played the following day, with first pitch set for 12 p.m. Should a third game be necessary, it will take place 20-30 minutes after the conclusion of game two. The winner will earn the PCSC's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

LMU (32-25) won the Coastal Division with a 16-4 mark. The Lions entered the final weekend of the regular season needing to take three of four from first-place San Diego, but they did even better, sweeping all four contests from the Toreros to claim their first division title since the PCSC split into two divisions for the 2010 season. The Lions have won eight in a row and nine of their last 10.

Portland State (31-16) won the PCSC Mountain Division title for the second consecutive season, finishing 16-4. The Vikings had quite the turnaround after losing three of their first four league games to Utah Valley. But after that, PSU swept Idaho State and Seattle on the road, then went 3-1 at Northern Colorado. This past weekend, the Vikings swept visiting Weber State to close by winning 15 of their final 16 PCSC contests.

The PCSC Championship Series will pit the two most successful teams in conference history against each other. Loyola Marymount has won a record three titles, taking home the trophy in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Portland State is the only other PCSC school to win multiple titles, winning in 2006 and 2009. The teams have not faced each other since the PCSC split into two divisions in 2010. LMU leads the all-time series 25-16.

Last season, Saint Mary's defeated Portland State, two games to one, in the inaugural PCSC Championship Series in Moraga, Calif.

Ticket prices for the 2011 PCSC Championship Series are $8 for adults, and $6 for senior citizens (65+) and students 18-and-under. The $6 price is also good for Portland State and Loyola Marymount students who show a valid ID. Children 3-and-under are free. Saturday's ticket would be good for both games if a third game is played.

Every game of the series will feature live stats and a free live Internet broadcast through GoViks.com.