EDISON, NJ (May 24, 2023) – The 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Baseball Championship is set for this week from Wednesday, May 24 through Saturday, May 27 at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY. The six-team, double-elimination championship field features top overall seed Fairfield University, No. 2 Rider University, No. 3 Canisius College, No. 4 Quinnipiac University, No. 5 Niagara University, and No. 6 Manhattan College. All Championship contests will air live on the ESPN+.
Fairfield finished the 2023 MAAC campaign with a league-best record of 16-5 and overall best mark of 34-16, with the team’s 34 wins setting a program record. The Stags became the first team in conference history to win three straight outright MAAC Regular Season Championship titles in 2023, the sixth overall trophy for the program. Fairfield enters postseason play on a four-game winning streak and as winners in 13 out of its last 15 games over the past month. The Stags were one of the best teams nationally and in the conference in batting average, hits, runs, home runs, scoring, doubles, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and WHIP. Fairfield earned a first-round bye and will meet the lower advancing seed from the opening round on Thursday morning at 11:00am.
Second-seeded Rider also received an opening round bye in this year’s championship after going 32-18 overall and 14-7 in MAAC play. The Broncs boast one of the league’s top defenses and pitching staffs, leading the MAAC in double plays and fielding percentage defensively, while having the lowest earned runs average and hits allowed per nine innings on the mound. Additionally, the team recorded the most saves in the conference, led by 2023 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, Danny Kirwin, who was the MAAC leader in the category. The Broncs will take on the higher advancing seed from the opening round on Thursday at 3:00pm.
No. 3 Canisius (24-23-1, 16-8 MAAC) vs. No. 6 Manhattan (21-32, 13-11 MAAC)
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY | 11:00 AM | ESPN+ | Live Stats
The first contest of the opening round will feature defending MAAC Champion, No. 3 Canisius and No. 6 Manhattan, with first pitch set for 11:00am on Wednesday. The Golden Griffins took the regular season series matchup versus the Jaspers, winning the first two games in the three game series earlier in the month in Buffalo. Canisius took the opening game of the series, 14-9, on May 12, before winning game two, 4-2, on May 13. Manhattan avoided a series sweep by winning the third game of the series, 5-4, on May 14. The Griffs are led by MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Matt Duffy, and a pitching unit that ranks first in the conference in strikeouts per nine innings. The Jaspers drew the most walks in the league at the plate during the regular season.
No. 4 Quinnipiac (28-24, 16-8 MAAC) vs. No. 5 Niagara (24-20-1, 14-10 MAAC)
Clover Stadium | POMONA, NY | 3:00 PM | ESPN+ | Live Stats
The second game of the day will put No. 4 Quinnipiac against No. 5 Niagara at 3:00 pm. When the schools battled in early April, Niagara won the first game in the series, 5-4, before Quinnipiac earned a, 16-10, victory in the second contest. The rubber match would end up going to the Purple Eagles by a score of 4-3, giving Niagara the season series. Under the leadership of 2023 MAAC Coach of the Year, John Delaney, the Bobcats were the best team in strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings, while recording more shutouts than any other MAAC team this year. The Purple Eagles ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings and were the third best scoring unit in the league during the regular season.
The two non-advancing teams in the opening round will meet on Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm in the first elimination game of the championship.
The full championship schedule can be found below.
| Round |
Game |
Date |
Time |
Network |
Statistics |
| No. 3 Canisius vs. No. 6 Manhattan |
Game 1 |
May 24 |
11:00 AM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| No. 4 Quinnipiac vs. No. 5 Niagara |
Game 2 |
May 24 |
3:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser |
Game 3 |
May 24 |
7:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| No. 1 Fairfield vs. Low Seed Winner Game 1/2 |
Game 4 |
May 25 |
11:00 AM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| No. 2 Rider vs. High Seed Winner Game 1/2 |
Game 5 |
May 25 |
3:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| Winner Game 3 vs. Low Seed Winner Game 4/5 |
Game 6 |
May 25 |
7:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 |
Game 7 |
May 26 |
11:00 AM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| High Seed Loser Game 4/5 vs. Winner Game 6 |
Game 8 |
May 26 |
3:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 |
Game 9 |
May 26 |
7:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9 |
Game 10 |
May 27 |
12:00 PM |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
| *if necessary |
Game 11 |
May 27 |
starts immediately after Game 10 |
ESPN+ |
Lives Stats |
For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Baseball Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/baseball.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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