GNAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
WINTHROP, Mass. – No. 1 North seed Saint Joseph's (Maine) and No. 3N seed Simmons both won the openers of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Pod Finals to advance to the 2024 GNAC Softball Championship Series. The Monks will host the best-of-three series starting Friday, May 10.
Both teams came into Sunday's (May 5) action needing only one win to advance out of the double-elimination pods. It took extra innings for the Monks, but they eventually defeated No. 3 South seed Johnson & Wales, 8-7, in eight innings. In the Lasell Pod, the Sharks defeated the host, 5-4, to earn their GNAC Championship Series berth.
The Sharks will be seeking their second-straight GNAC title after winning the programs first GNAC Softball Championship a year ago. The Monks will be looking for their first softball title since 2014, which was part of a streak four-straight conference crowns.
The two teams split their regular-season GNAC doubleheader with Simmons winning game one 7-1 before the Saint Joseph's took the late game, 6-0.
The Championship Series will feature one game on Friday, May 10 with game two scheduled for Saturday, May 11. Should the two teams split the first two games, an "if necessary" game will determine the GNAC Champion on Saturday. Friday's game will begin at 4 p.m. with the first game on Saturday scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Championship Series winner will be named the 2024 GNAC Softball Champion and earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championship.
#1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) 8, #3S Johnson & Wales 7 – 8 Innings
Recap to follow.
#3N Simmons 5, #1S Lasell 4
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
Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)
Game 3B - #1S Lasell def. #4S Albertus Magnus, 3-2 | BOX
Game 4B - #3N Simmons def. #2N Emmanuel, 2-1 (11 inn.) | BOX
Pod Play Day 1 (cont.) - Friday, May 3
Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph's (Maine))
Game 3A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #5N New England College, 9-4 | BOX
Game 4A - #3S Johnson & Wales def. #2S Mitchell, 7-1 | BOX
Pod Play Day 2 - Saturday, May 4
Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph's (Maine))
Game 5A - #5N New England College def. #2S Mitchell, 6-3 | BOX
Game 6A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #3S Johnson & Wales, 11-4 | BOX
Game 7A - #3S Johnson & Wales def. #5N New England College, 4-3 (9 inn.) | BOX
Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)
Game 5B - #2N Emmanuel def. #4S Albertus Magnus, 4-2 (9 inn.) | BOX
Game 6B - #3N Simmons def. #1S Lasell, 6-0 | BOX
Game 7B - #1S Lasell def. #2N Emmanuel, 3-1 | BOX
Pod Finals - Sunday, May 5
Saint Joseph's (Maine) Pod
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph's (Maine))
Game 8A - #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine) def. #3S Johnson & Wales, 8-7 (8 inn.) | BOX
Game 9A – Not needed
Lasell Pod
(Hosted by No. 1S seed Lasell)
Game 8B - #3N Simmons def. #1S Lasell, 5-4 | BOX
Game 9B - Not needed
Championship Series - Friday, May 10
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph's (Maine))
Game 10 - #3N Simmons at #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 4 p.m.
Championship Series Day 2- Saturday, May 11
(Hosted by No. 1N seed Saint Joseph's (Maine))
Game 11 - #3N Simmons vs. #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 2 p.m.
Game 12 - #3N Simmons vs. #1N Saint Joseph's (Maine), 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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