ALBANY, N.Y. – After clinching the fourth overall seed on the second to last day of the regular season, the University at Albany baseball team (24-24, 10-13 AE) will finally begin postseason play, opening the America East tournament on Wednesday against five-seed Maine (27-27, 8-12 AE).
For the second-consecutive year, the America East tournament will feature six teams, increasing from four teams starting in 2016. This means that with UMass Lowell's ineligibility due to NCAA reclassifying rules, all teams in the conference made the tournament.
At the beginning of the season, the Great Danes were picked to finish sixth in the America East. When the regular season ended, UAlbany was fourth in the standings behind Binghamton, UMBC, and Stony Brook.
The Great Danes improved one game each in overall wins and America East wins from last season, and improved one spot in the final standings. In fact, the 24 wins from this season represent the team's highest win total since the 2009 team won 26 games, and the 10 America East wins are the most since 2013's 16. In each of the last three years, the Great Danes have also improved one spot in the final standings.
This season was an effort in perseverance with the weather wreaking havoc on the Great Danes' schedule. Originally, the team was supposed to play its first 20 games on the road, but persistent inclement weather pushed that total to 25. In total, 13 games in 2017 were cancelled, including 10 through the first week in April.
Interestingly, the team's first home games this season actually took place at UMass Lowell's LeLacheur Park, which is set to host the America East tournament. Due to inclement weather rendering Varsity Field unplayable, the three-game series was shifted to Lowell where UAlbany played as the home team.
UAlbany has come on strong at the right time, having won 13 of its last 18 to close the season. Within those 13 games were two separate five-game winning streaks, and America East series victories over Stony Brook, Hartford, and Maine.
The Great Danes play in the tournament's first game, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Their opponent is five-seed Maine, from whom UAlbany just took two of three games in Orono. UAlbany has won six of the last eight games against the Black Bears, and eliminated them in last year's tournament.
If UAlbany wins tomorrow's game against Maine, they will play top overall seed Binghamton on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. If they lose, they will be placed in the elimination bracket, and face the loser of Wednesday's second game between Stony Brook and Hartford in the third game on Wednesday.
The Great Danes rank sixth in the America East in team batting, fourth in team pitching, and seventh in team fielding. Kevin Donati (.337) and Connor Powers (.335) rank fifth and sixth respectively in individual batting. Dominic Savino ranks second in the America East with a 2.60 ERA. Travis Collins ranks second in the conference in both home runs, with 10, and RBIs, with 37.
UAlbany will play Maine at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. At 2:30 p.m., Stony Brook will play Hartford. The losers of the first two games will play at 6:00 p.m. in the tournament's first elimination game. Binghamton will play the winner between UAlbany and Maine at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, followed by UMBC playing the winner of Stony Brook and Hartford at 2:30 p.m. The tournament's second elimination game will be played at 6:00 p.m. between the winner of Wednesday's elimination game and the lower seeded loser of Thursday's first two games. Friday's first game at 11:00 a.m. will be played between the winners of Thursday's first two games. At 2:30, the winner of the late game on Thursday will play the higher seeded loser of Thursday's first two games. Friday's late game will feature the winner of Friday's second game and the loser of Friday's first game. Finally, the tournament will conclude on Saturday, with the winner of Friday's first and third games facing off in the championship round at 1:00 p.m., with a potential final game at 4:30 p.m.
2017 America East Baseball Championship
at LeLacheur Park - Lowell, Mass.
Wednesday, May 24
Game 1: No. 4 Albany vs. No. 5 Maine, 11 AM
Game 2: No. 3 Stony Brook vs. No. 6 Hartford, 2:30 PM
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 6 PM
Thursday, May 25
Game 4: No. 1 Binghamton vs. Winner Game 1, 11 AM
Game 5: No. 2 UMBC vs. Winner Game 2, 2:30 PM
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser G4/G5 (lower seed), 6 PM
Friday, May 26
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 AM
Game 8: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser G4/G5 (higher seed), 2:30 PM
Game 9: Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7, 6 PM
Saturday, May 27
Game #10 – Championship Game: Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #9 – 1:00 p.m.
Game #11 – If necessary game (if first loss for loser of Game #10): Winner Game #10 vs. Loser Game #10 – 4:00 p.m.
