GNAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

WINTHROP, Mass. – No. 4 South seed Albertus Magnus and No. 5 North seed New England College earned their spots in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship Tournament double-elimination phase after both teams won their GNAC Play-In games on Tuesday (April 30) evening.

Both teams won their games by 3-1 scores with the Falcons taking care of business at home against No. 5 South seed University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), while the Pilgrims picked up a road win against No. 4 North seed Rivier.

The next round of the tournament consists of two four-team pods with the No. 1 North seed Saint Joseph’s (Maine) hosting one and No. 1 South seed Lasell hosting the other.

Both of Tuesday’s winners will play the hosts in the Pod Play openers. NEC will join the Saint Joseph’s Pod and take on the Monks at 3:30 p.m., while Albertus heads to the Lasell Pod to play the Lasers at 2 p.m. The other matchups on day one of GNAC Pod Play are No. 2 South seed Mitchell against No. 3 South seed Johnson & Wales at Saint Joe’s and No. 2 North seed Emmanuel and No. 3 North seed Simmons at Lasell. After the day one, competition will resume on Saturday, May 4 with three games scheduled at each site when two teams from each pod will be eliminated. The Pod Finals are scheduled for Sunday, May 5 with the possibility for one or two games at each site.

The winners of the two pods earn the right to compete in a best-of-three GNAC Softball Championship Series, which is schedule for Friday-Saturday, May 10-11. One game will be played on Friday with the second and “if necessary” game scheduled for Saturday.

The winner of the GNAC Softball Championship Series will be named the 2024 GNAC Softball Champion and earn the league’s automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

#4S Albertus Magnus 3, #5S University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) 1

Recap to follow.

#5N New England College 3, #4N Rivier 1

Recap to follow.

2024 GNAC Softball Tournament Schedule

Play-In - Tuesday, April 30

Game 1 - #5N New England College def. #4N Rivier, 3-1 | BOX
Game 2 - #4S Albertus Magnus def. #5S University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), 3-1 | BOX

Pod Play Day 1 - Thursday, May 2

Saint Joseph’s (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph’s (Maine))

Game 3A - #5N New England College at #1N Saint Joseph’s (Maine), 3:30 p.m.
Game 4A - #3S Johnson & Wales vs. #2S Mitchell, 6 p.m.

Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)

Game 3B - #4S Albertus Magnus at #1S Lasell, 2 p.m.
Game 4B - #3N Simmons vs. #2N Emmanuel, 4:30 p.m.

Pod Play Day 2 - Saturday, May 4

Saint Joseph’s (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph’s (Maine))

Game 5A - Game 3A Loser vs. Game 4A Loser, 11 a.m.
Game 6A - Game 3A Winner vs. Game 4A Winner, 1:30 p.m.
Game 7A - Game 5A Winner vs. Game 6A Loser, 4 p.m.

Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)

Game 5B - Game 3B Loser vs. Game 4B Loser, 11 a.m.
Game 6B - Game 3B Winner vs. Game 4B Winner, 1:30 p.m.
Game 7B - Game 5B Winner vs. Game 6B Loser, 4 p.m.

Pod Finals - Sunday, May 5

Saint Joseph’s (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph’s (Maine))

Game 8A - Game 6A Winner vs. Game 7A Winner, Noon
Game 9A - Game 8A opponents, If necessary

Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)

Game 8B - Game 6B Winner vs. Game 7B Winner, Noon
Game 9B - Game 8B opponents, If necessary

Championship Series - Friday, May 10
(Host TBD)

Game 10 - Winner of Saint Joseph’s Pod vs. Winner of Lasell Pod, TBD

Championship Series Day 2- Saturday, May 11
(Host TBD)

Game 11 - Winner of Saint Joseph’s Pod vs. Winner of Lasell Pod, TBD
Game 12 - Winner of Saint Joseph’s Pod vs. Winner of Lasell Pod, TBD (if necessary)

ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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