WINTHROP, Mass. – With its best league ledger in program history, the Suffolk softball team secured the top seed and first-round bye into the upcoming 2018 GNAC Softball Tournament, which the Rams will host this weekend.
Suffolk, who sits 29-7 overall and went 22-2 versus conference competition, secured the top spot after taking the head-to-head tiebreaker over regular-season co-champion Johnson & Wales (28-11, 22-2 GNAC). As the No. 1 seed, the Rams earned the right to host the first round of double elimination Thursday, May 3, before welcoming all remaining teams to East Boston Memorial Park this weekend to crown a conference champion. The second-seeded Wildcats, who are the three-time reigning GNAC Champions and defeated the Rams on Championship Sunday a year ago, will also host a pair of Thursday contests before competition shirts entirely to Eastie.
The tournament debuts with do-or-die matchups on Wednesday, May 2 as fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus hosts eighth-seeded Lasell at 4 p.m, while sixth-seeded Saint Joseph (Conn.) welcomes seventh-seeded Emmanuel for a 3:30 p.m. tilt. Its win-or-go-home for the four teams clashing in Connecticut with the team's falling on the wrong side of the decisions being eliminated.
The winner of the Lasell-Albertus Magnus battle head to Suffolk Thursday to take on fourth-seeded Saint Joseph's (Maine) at, with the winner of that game set to battle the Rams under the lights. The Emmanuel - USJ victor travels to JWU to play third-seeded Simmons Thursday with the winner advancing to face the Wildcats. The first game at each site on Thursday has a 3 p.m., first pitch with game two slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 5 matchups will be determined Thursday with action set to get underway in East Boston at 10 a.m. running every 2.5 hours. The final day of the tourney, Sunday, May 6, will begin at 10 a.m. as well with an automatic ticket to the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament up for grabs.
2018 GNAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND - WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 - SINGLE ELIMINATION
Game 1: #8 Lasell at #5 Albertus Magnus - 4:00 PM
Game 2: #7 Emmanuel at #6 Saint Joseph (Conn.) - 3:30 PM
SECOND ROUND - THURSDAY, MAY 3 - DOUBLE ELIMINATION
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. #4 Saint Joseph's (Maine) at #1 Suffolk - 3:00 PM
Game 4: Winner of Game 2 vs. #3 Simmons at #2 JWU - 3:00 PM
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 at #1 Suffolk - 5:30 PM
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 at #2 JWU - 5:30 PM
SEMIFINALS - SATURDAY, MAY 5 - HOSTED AT #1 SUFFOLK
Game 7: Loser of Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 (Elimination Game) - 10:00 AM
Game 8: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6 (Elimination Game) - 12:30 PM
Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 - 3:00 PM
Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (Elimination Game) - 5:30 PM
CHAMPIONSHIP - SUNDAY, MAY 6 - HOSTED AT #1 SUFFOLK
Game 11: Loser Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 (Elimination Game) - 10:00 AM
Game 12: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 9 - 12:30 PM
Game 13: If Necessary - 3:00 PM