WINTHROP, Mass. – Thanks to its GNAC regular-season sweep at Saint Joseph's (Maine) Monday night, the Suffolk softball team will head into the 2019 GNAC Tournament as the second-seed of the North Division, the league office announced Monday night.
In the first year of divisional play Fenway schools Simmons and Emmanuel topped the South and North Divisions respectively, to lock up the top seed in the upcoming tournament.
With the South Division top seed predetermined as the primary host for the Saturday-Sunday portion of the championships, Simmons now prepares for entertainment responsibilities May 4-5 at Daly Field in Brighton, Massachusetts.
Suffolk, who just put together its sixth 20-win season (21-16, 11-5 GNAC), awaits its second-round opponent as the North Division's third seed Saint Joseph's (Maine) hosts fourth-seeded Norwich in the play-in game tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30 at 3:30 p.m. The victor advances to face the Rams in the first game of the double elimination tournament Thursday, May 2 at Clemente Field in at 4:30 p.m. with the winner of that moving on to take on top seed Emmanuel under the lights in Boston at 6:30 p.m.
In the South Division, third-seeded Johnson & Wales faces off against fourth-seeded Albertus Magnus for a spot in the double elimination bracket with the winner moving on to face No. 2 Saint Joseph (Conn.) at Daly Field on Thursday, May 2 at 4:30 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. showdown with Simmons awaiting that matchups victor.
2019 GNAC SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
FIRST-ROUND – TUESDAY, APRIL 30 - SINGLE ELIMINATION
North Play-In: #4N Norwich at #3N Saint Joseph's (Maine) – 3:30 p.m.
South Play-In: #4S Albertus Magnus at #3S Johnson & Wales – 4:00 p.m.
SECOND ROUND – THURSDAY, MAY 2 – DOUBLE ELIMINATION BEGINS
Game 1: North Play-In Winner vs. #2N Suffolk at Emmanuel – 4:30 p.m.
Game 2: South Play-In Winner vs. #2S Saint Joseph (Conn.) at Simmons – 4:30 p.m.
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. #1N Emmanuel – 6:30 p.m.
Game 4: Winner Game 2 vs. #1S Simmons – 7:00 p.m.
QUARTERFINALS / SEMIFINALS – SATURDAY, MAY 4 – DALY FIELD – BOSTON, MASS.
Game 5: Loser of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 1 – 10:00 a.m. (Elimination Game)
Game 6: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 12:30 p.m. (Elimination Game)
Game 7: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 – 3:00 p.m.
Game 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 – 5:30 p.m. (Elimination Game)
SEMIFINALS / CHAMPIONSHIP – SUNDAY, MAY 5 – DALY FIELD – BOSTON, MASS.
Game 9: Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7 – 10:00 a.m. (Elimination Game)
Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 – 12:30 p.m.
Game 11: If Necessary – 3:00 p.m.