LINKS: | Live Video | Live Stats (Game 1) | Live Stats (Game 2) | Directions |
Albertus Magnus College will host two games on Friday night as part of the 2015 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Softball Championship Tournament. West Haven High School in West Haven, Connecticut will serve as the site to two games beginning with a game one 5:20 p.m. first pitch. The first contest will feature sixth-seeded Emmanuel College and third-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Albertus will take on the winner in the nightcap which is tentatively scheduled to begin at 7:20 p.m.
All three teams, no matter the outcomes of the games, will move on and play on Saturday at American Legion Park in East Boston, Mass. Top-seeded Suffolk will host the remainder of the double-elimination tournament.
The Falcons, who are the second seed in this year's GNAC Tournament, will be making their second-straight postseason appearance after finishing the regular season with a 22-11 overall record and a 16-5 record in GNAC play.
The Falcons' 22 wins so far this season are also the most for the program since Albertus tallied 23 victories in the 2002 campaign. The Falcons' 16 wins in league play are the most in over a decade as well. The team's #2 seeding is the highest for the program since the late 1990s.
This year will mark the Falcons' 11th all-time appearance in the GNAC Tournament as the Falcons hold an all-time record of 7-12 in tournament action. The softball program last won the GNAC Tournament title in 1997, while the program has never competed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Falcons are just 0-1 in GNAC Tournament play against the teams on their side of the bracket (Emmanuel and Saint Joseph's College). The Falcons faced Emmanuel once in GNAC Tournament action, falling to the Saints 3-2 on May 5, 1998. Albertus has never competed against Saint Joseph's College of Maine in the GNAC Tournament.
About the Tournament Field
1) Suffolk University Rams
The Rams are 24-10 this season after finishing 17-5 in league play. The Rams are led by freshman Delaney Sylvester who is hitting .450 in 34 games played. She has tallied 50 hits, 37 RBI and four home run to go along with nine doubles on the year. Sophomore Kristen Young has registered 52 hits and 31 runs scored for Suffolk this season. Young has stolen an impressive 35 bases and has a batting average of .444.
Kathleen Slavin has posted a 1.94 ERA this season as she is 9-3 on the year from the circle. She has also recorded two saves and six complete games. She has fanned 70 batters for the Rams as well.
During the regular season, the Rams and Falcons split their GNAC series in New Haven, Conn. Suffolk won the first game of the doubleheader 6-4 before being shut out by the Falcons 3-0.
2) Albertus Magnus College Falcons
The Falcons are 22-11 this season after finishing the regular season with a 16-5 record in GNAC play. The Falcons are led by freshman Gillian Fortier (Naugatuck, Conn.) who is batting .500 on the season with a team-high 53 hits, 33 runs scored, nine doubles, four home runs, and 29 RBI.
Freshman Samantha Maselli (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) leads the league in wins with 13 on the year as she is 13-3 overall and 13-1 in league play. She has also pitched 13 complete games, recorded two saves, and has fanned 65 batters.
3) Saint Joseph's College (Maine) Monks
The Monks are 25-11 on the year and finished GNAC regular-season play with a record of 16-6. The Monks are led by Jennifer Murphy who is batting .429 with 36 hits and 15 RBI as well as Theresa Hendrix who is batting .422 with 46 hits, 36 runs scored and 35 RBI. She leads her team with 13 doubles, five triples and six home runs. Hendrix has struck out 31 batters this season and has a 5-1 record with a 2.12 ERA.
During the regular season, the Falcons and Monks split their GNAC series in New Haven, Conn. Albertus took game one 5-2 before the Monks won game two by a score of 2-1.
4) Simmons College Sharks
The Sharks are 18-13 on the year and finished league play with a 15-7 record. Mikaela Caracciolo leads Simmons with a .385 batting average to go along with 37 hits, 24 runs scored and 27 RBI. She has also hit five home runs. Lauren Backhaus is 11-5 on the mound and has thrown 13 complete games. She has fanned 93 batters and is posting a 2.22 ERA.
During the regular season, the Falcons and Sharks split their series in Boston. Simmons won the first game by a score of 7-4 before the Falcons cruised to a 6-3 win in game two.
5) Johnson & Wales (R.I.) University Wildcats
The Wildcats are 16-13 on the year and finished GNAC play 14-8 for the fifth-place seeding. After a 10-0 win over eighth-seeded Mount Ida on Tuesday night, the Wildcats advanced to the double-elimination portion of the GNAC Tournament.
Kristen Solari leads the Wildcats this season batting .438 in 29 games. She has tallied 42 hits, 24 runs scored and 22 RBI. Jennifer Corona has a 2.67 ERA for the Wildcats and a 13-6 overall record. In 25 appearances and 15 starts, she has pitched 11 complete games and has struck out 74 batters.
During the regular season, the Falcons and Wildcats split their GNAC series in Providence. JWU won game one 4-1 before the Falcons dominated game two, winning 11-3.
6) Emmanuel College Saints
The Saints are 18-15 on the year after finishing GNAC regular-season play 12-10. Catherine Davis is batting .440 in 32 games played, while she leads the Saints with 48 hits, 37 runs and 27 RBI. She has also posted 12 doubles and four home runs.
Jill Kilcoyne is 11-4 from the mound with a 1.65 ERA and 14 complete games. She has struck out 156 batters in 110.1 innings of work.
During the regular season, the Falcons swept Emmanuel in Boston by scores of 6-5 and 4-2.
2015 GNAC Softball Championship Bracket
First Round - Tuesday, April 21 (single elimination)
Game 1: #8 Mount Ida at #5 Johnson & Wales – JWU, 10-0
Game 2: #7 Saint Joseph (Conn.) at #6 Emmanuel – Emmanuel, 1-0
Second Round - Friday, April 24 (double elimination begins)
Game 3: #5 JWU vs. #4 Simmons at #1 Suffolk – 5:00 p.m.
Game 4: #6 Emmanuel vs. #3 Saint Joseph's Maine at #2 Albertus Magnus - 5:20 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 winner at #1 Suffolk – 7:00 p.m.
Game 6: Game 4 winner at #2 Albertus Magnus - 7:20 p.m.
Semifinals - Saturday, April 25 (Hosted by Suffolk)
Game 7: Game 4 loser vs. Game 5 loser (elimination game) - 10:00 a.m.
Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 6 loser (elimination game) - 12:15 p.m.
Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 2:30 p.m.
Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner (elimination game) - 4:45 p.m.
Championship - Sunday, April 26 (Hosted by Suffolk)
Game 11: Game 9 loser vs. Game 10 winner (elimination game) - 10:00 a.m.
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs Game 11 winner - 12:15 p.m.
Game 13: if necessary
