WINTHROP, Mass. – For the second straight season, Suffolk baseball sat atop the GNAC Tournament bracket as the conference announced the field for the upcoming conference championship Monday afternoon.
Suffolk already made history this season with its second conference regular season crown in as many years with a 14-2 league ledger. The seventh regular-season title marks the first time in program history that the blue-and-gold repeated regular-season leader.
History repeated itself in the top four spots of the league standings with the 2019 bracket nearly resembling the 2018 field almost to the tee. Besides the lone exception, the fifth spot, which features Albertus Magnus, every other seed is the same from a year ago.
Saint Joseph's (Maine) sits second to escape Tuesday's single elimination round alongside the Rams.
In Tuesday's do-or-die action, third-seeded Johnson & Wales will host sixth-seeded Anna Maria at 3:30 p.m., while fourth-seeded Lasell tangles with fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus at Brandeis at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday's winners each punch their tickets to the four-team, double elimination portion of the bracket.
The four-time defending champion Suffolk looks to keep the pattern of history repeating itself going as the Rams' true title defense is set to begin Thursday, May 2 in Eastie when the victor of the Lasers, Cadets play-in game head to East Boston Memorial Park. On the other side of the bracket, the winner of the Wildcats, Falcons showdown will trek up to Standish, Maine, to face the Monks.
As the predetermined host, Suffolk will host the final two days of the tournament Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5 at historic Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts.
2019 GNAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND – TUESDAY, APRIL 30 – SINGLE ELIMINATION
Game 1: #6 Anna Maria at #3 Johnson & Wales – 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: #5 Albertus Magnus vs. #4 Lasell (at Brandeis) – 7:00 p.m.
SECOND ROUND – THURSDAY, MAY 2 – DOUBLE ELIMINATION BEGINS
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 at #2 Saint Joseph's (Maine) – 4:00 p.m.
Game 4: Winner of Game 2 at #1 Suffolk – 7:00 p.m.
SEMIFINALS – SATURDAY, MAY 4 – FRASER FIELD - LYNN, MASS.
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (Elimination Game) – 10:00 a.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – 1:30 p.m.
Game 7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6 – 5:00 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP – SUNDAY, MAY 5 – FRASER FIELD - LYNN, MASS.
Game 8: Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 – 12:00 p.m.
Game 9: If Necessary – 3:30 p.m.