For the third consecutive season, the MAAC Championships will be hosted at Gartland Field on the campus of Marist University. The field has decreased from eight teams to six, but each team that qualified last year in the eight-team format qualified once again this season. The tournament is still double-elimination, and is slated to begin on Wednesday, weather permitting. Below is a preview of the teams who have a chance to win it all.
No. 1 Seed — Marist Red Foxes (34-19, 24-3 MAAC)
The Red Foxes enter the tournament as the top seed and favorites to capture the MAAC championship. After losing eight seniors to graduation—including former MAAC Players of the Year Miah McDonald (2x) and Maddie Pleasants—three-time reigning MAAC Coach of the Year Joe Ausanio re-assembled a contender once again. Marist finished the MAAC portion of the regular season 24-3 and is currently on a 14-game winning streak.
Senior outfielder Peyton Pusey became the fourth consecutive Red Fox to win MAAC Player of the Year. A first-team All-MAAC selection for the third consecutive season, Pusey slashed 395/.455/.610 with a 1.065 OPS out of the leadoff spot. Pusey’s impact stretches far beyond the batter’s box; the senior is always a threat to steal bases and flies around in center field.
Graduate student infielder Haley Ahr remains a key cog in the three-hole and at shortstop. The nation’s leader in batting average from a season ago (.508), Ahr landed on the All-MAAC first team for the fourth consecutive season, becoming one of three players in program history to accomplish the feat. Sophomore catcher/utility Sienna Kunze received her second consecutive second team nod and has thrashed MAAC opponents to the tune of a conference-high 11 home runs in MAAC play.
Graduate student pitcher Ava Metzger started game one in nine of Marist’s MAAC series this season and turned in her best collegiate season under Ausanio’s tutelage, posting a 2.86 ERA in 90.2 innings pitched. Metzger tossed four consecutive complete games in which she allowed just one earned run, including leading the Red Foxes to the program’s first ranked win over South Carolina on Feb. 28.
Redshirt sophomore pitcher Stella Blanchard also proved vital in her first full season in Poughkeepsie. Blanchard served as a viable second option to Metzger; in a team-leading 107.2 innings pitched, she recorded a 3.38 ERA while flashing an effective rise ball/change up combination. Additionally, junior pitcher/outfielder Anna Sidlowski delivered a quality season against conference opponents with a 2.36 ERA against MAAC foes.
Freshmen Livia Wiltsie and Annabelle Geiser also made immediate impacts. Geiser wreaked havoc on the bases with her speed; she led the team in on-base percentage (.469) and was named to the All-MAAC second team and All-Rookie team. Wilstie was also named to the All-Rookie team and finished the season second on the team in home runs (10).
The Red Foxes have been especially reliable in close games; Marist is 13-3 in one-run games this season and have won 12 consecutive contests decided by one run. With a three-headed monster in the circle and a lineup that led the conference in many major statistical categories, the Red Foxes are going to be a difficult team to eliminate.
No. 2 Seed — Fairfield Stags (27-22, 19-7 MAAC)
Fairfield finished second in the conference behind Marist for the second consecutive season. Freshman infielder/utility Sara Bielski led the way offensively for the Stags, hitting .382 with a 1.038 OPS. Bielski earned All-MAAC second team honors and was one of two unanimous selections to the All-Rookie team along with Geiser. Fairfield displays solid lineup depth, as five of their nine starters finished the season with an OPS north of .800.
The Stags do not deploy much slug in their lineup; their team slugging percentage of .399 ranks second-to-last in the field. They will rely on moving runners over via small ball, as their 62 sacrifice hits are the most of any team remaining. Graduate student outfielder SJ Mull has the most sacrifice hits of any player remaining in the Championships (18).
In the circle, senior pitcher Alyssa Weinberg and junior pitcher Peyton Shields form a strong duo. Weinberg—an All-MAAC selection for the second straight season—struck out 185 hitters in 151.1 innings pitched. Shields finds success pitching to contact as opposed to racking up strikeouts. Despite only striking out 49 hitters in 114.2 innings pitched, Shields registered a 2.11 ERA in MAAC play.
The Stags are entering the tournament on a four-game winning streak and are coming off a sweep of Saint Peter’s in which the Peacocks did not score a run.
No. 3 Seed — Iona Gaels (24-24, 18-10 MAAC)
Iona comes in as the No. 3 seed for the second consecutive season and has a good blend of experience and young talent. The Gaels finished the season tied with Marist with five All-MAAC selections, as well as sophomore infielder Sara Piña’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
In conference play, the Gaels led the MAAC in OPS (.880), proving that they can slug and get on-base better than anyone in the conference. Iona’s big three contributors—senior infielder Brianna Fischer, senior utility Alivia Lichtner and senior infielder Hailey Guerrero—all pose threats at the plate. Each player finished with an OPS north of 1.000 against MAAC opponents, while Lichtner earned All-MAAC first team honors. Lichtner slashed .395/.459/.658 and swiped 14 bases in 15 attempts in 28 conference contests.
While Iona has the experience to make a run, the Gaels also possess young talent that is making an impact. Freshman outfielder Rachael Morales was selected to the All-Rookie team and freshman pitcher Melissa Gordon served as the team’s ace over the course of the season—she posted an impressive 1.69 ERA in 78.2 innings pitched in MAAC play despite striking out only 29 hitters. Junior pitcher Allison Hoppe compliments Gordon, as she strikes more batters out while maintaining the strike zone.
The Gaels have the pieces to make a run and will square off against Siena in a thrilling first round matchup.
No. 4 Seed — Sacred Heart Pioneers (22-29, 16-11 MAAC)
Sacred Heart enters the tournament riding the coattails of senior pitcher/infielder Sam Kowalski. Kowalski is the team’s best hitter and pitcher, and if she does not live up to the numbers she produced in the regular season, the Pioneers may be in trouble.
Kowalski slashed .380/.407/.640 with a 1.047 OPS in conference play. Kowalski and sophomore pitcher/utility Elle Leckrone were the only two players to accrue an OPS over .800, so the Pioneers will need contributions from the entire lineup to make some noise in Poughkeepsie.
In the circle, Kowalski hurled 16 complete games and five shutouts, while posting a tidy 2.09 ERA in 137 total innings. Opposing hitters only hit .206 against Kowalski, but it is not feasible to trot the senior out to the circle each game—she did not play in the season’s final series against Quinnipiac. Senior pitcher Emily Heath threw the second-most innings (133) but walked 73 hitters and pitched to the tune of a 4.95 ERA.
Sacred Heart won the series against Quinnipiac, who they will face on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. for the right to take on Marist on Thursday.
No. 5 Seed — Quinnipiac Bobcats (21-19, 16-12 MAAC)
Quinnipiac enters Poughkeepsie after losing three of its last four MAAC series, including five consecutive games against Marist and Fairfield. Offensively, the Bobcats are led by two first team All-MAAC members: senior catcher Kennedy DeMott and senior infielder Sofia Vega. DeMott and Vega each have an OPS north of 1.000 in conference play. Senior outfielder Ally Hochstadter produced as well, but to give the Bobcats a chance in their first round matchup against Sacred Heart, DeMott and Vega need to replicate their regular season success.
Sophomore pitcher/infielder Shannon Kendall heads the Quinnipiac pitching staff. Kendall has accounted for over 60 percent of the Bobcats’ innings pitched in MAAC play. Kendall started 20 of Quinnipiac’s 28 conference games and pitched to the tune of a 3.33 ERA.
The Bobcats will have to lean on their offensive stars to find success in the MAAC Championships, as Quinnipiac is in possession of the worst ERA of the teams in the field (5.04).
No. 6 Seed — Siena Saints (25-20, 15-12 MAAC)
Despite getting swept by Marist in the final weekend of the season, Siena snuck into the MAAC Championships as the sixth and final seed. Despite that, they are a threat to make a run. Junior pitcher/outfielder Gracie Goewey won MAAC Pitcher of the Year; she posted a 2.12 ERA and struck out 131 hitters in 122.1 innings pitched in conference play. At the plate, Goewey finished the regular season with a team-leading .968 OPS.
Senior infielder Emma Petersen, sophomore catcher Cali DeLawder and junior infielder/outfielder Chloe Cummings are threats as well. Peterson hit 11 home runs, but oddly enough, zero in MAAC play. Her conference stats took a dip (.305 AVG, .716 OPS) from her overall stats (.363 AVG, .996 OPS), but she and Goewey will be responsible for driving in runs.
Junior infielder Carlie Venables is one of the best defenders in the MAAC at shortstop; she committed zero errors in 126 total chances on the season. The Saints have the pieces at the plate, in the circle and on defense to make a serious run and get back to the MAAC championship game.
Edited by Max Rosen
Photo by Max Rosen
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