With just three games left in the regular season, there are just as many spots left for teams like Merrimack and Quinnipiac to claim in the MAAC playoffs. There are plenty of scenarios and information to get through, so let’s start with what we know right now:
Who’s In?
The conference’s last three champions are the first three in for 2026. The Broncs have been arguably the most well-rounded team in the conference, excelling in both facets of the game. After being the last team in last year, Niagara took a huge leap in 2026 — relying on small ball to get runners across and utilizing their strong bullpen to close the door. The Purple Eagles’ weakness has been their fielding, where they sit bottom five in the conference in fielding percentage and errors. Fairfield’s approach at the plate has been to rely on the long ball, with the Stags topping the statsheet with a conference leading 55. Despite the power, they rank at the bottom of the conference in batting average while being middle of the pack in on-base and slugging percentage.
Who’s Out?
As of May 10th, the St. Peter’s Peacocks have just one conference win and only five total in 2026. The Manhattan Jaspers are currently 9-18 in conference play, mathematically eliminating them from postseason contention. The Jaspers were a one-trick pony in 2026 with a top five offense, but their pitching staff fell well short of their goal ranking as one of the worst staffs in the MAAC.. Despite defeating Niagara on May 13 with only two games left, Mount St. Mary’s have also been eliminated from playoff contention. The Mountaineers’ offense was able to keep them in games this season, but like Manhattan their pitching wasn’t strong enough to keep them in contention. The Siena Saints 2026 season came to an end in Buffalo on May 13 as they fell to Canisius 15-2. The Saints have now missed the playoffs in four of their last five seasons.
Teams Still In The Mix
As of May 14, there are still six teams in the mix for the final three spots. Quinnipiac and Merrimack will be directly competing with each other this weekend, while Canisius has won the first two games of their series against Siena. Iona will face Manhattan and Sacred Heart will face cross-town rivals in Fairfield to wrap up their 2026 campaigns.
John Delaney’s Input
After Quinnipiac’s double header against Rider on May 8, Quinnipiac head coach John Delaney mention how “16 [wins] had been the number” in past years to qualify for the tournament. Since the tournament only has six spots this year instead of eight like it did in the past though, Delaney’s benchmark could be different. Despite the uncertainty, Delaney had a different outlook on the final series.
“You’re not looking at three, you’re just looking at one. You have to see how things play out.” With that kind of mentality, the Bobcats will look to win themselves into the conference tournament.
Clinching Scenarios
There wouldn’t be a playoff race without some unique circumstances. Firstly, Marist has already finished their MAAC season with a 17-13 record, placing them in the fifth spot currently. The Red Foxes will be hoping the baseball gods bring them fortune as they await the result of the final weekend over the coming days. Another unique part to this playoff race has been the fact that Iona and Sacred Heart will only play 29 conference games. The April 12 contest between the two teams was cancelled and not rescheduled, meaning both teams will finish the regular season without playing the usual 30. With that in mind, it’s important to know that win percentage is factored heavily in the conference rankings. If either Iona or Sacred Heart are tied for the sixth spot and they have a better record than a team that had played one more game than them, then Iona or Sacred Heart will get the position over them, even though they only played 29 MAAC games.
With the Merrimack Warriors currently sitting in 4th with a 17-10 conference record, a win all but guarantees a spot in their first conference tournament as a member of the MAAC. Worst case scenario for Merrimack is if they get swept by Quinnipiac and Canisius sweeps Siena, which would put those three and Marist at a 17-13 record.
QU vs. Merrimack Preview
Coming off a 1-2 weekend against first place Rider, the Quinnipiac baseball team finds themselves stuck in the middle of the pack heading into the final weekend. The Bobcats have picked up their play as of late, winning a series against MAAC titan Fairfield in early May.
Coming into this weekend the Bobcats opponent, Merrimack, are coming off a series sweep against basement dwellers St. Peter’s. The Warriors currently sit in the fourth position, looking at a scenario where if they get one win on the weekend, they’ll guarantee themselves a spot in the postseason.
Over their last ten games, Quinnipiac has gone 6-4 overall and 3-3 in MAAC play, while Merrimack has also posted a 6-4 overall record but remains undefeated in conference play at 6-0 in the MAAC. Statistically, Quinnipiac ranks eighth in overall batting, fifth in overall pitching, and sixth in overall fielding. Merrimack sits just ahead in batting at seventh, trails in pitching at eighth, and holds a strong defensive edge with the second-best fielding ranking in the conference.
Game One: Andrew Rubayo (5-1, 3.34 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) v.s. James Bosari (2-2, 4.87 ERA, 1.47 WHIP)
Game Two: Nick Balcom (3-6, 7.27 ERA, 1.73 WHIP) v.s. Nick Hunkele (2-4, 4.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP)
Game Three: Jacob Belecky (2-2, 5.73 ERA, 1.54 WHIP) v.s. Colby Barker (8-3, 4.16 ERA, 1.39 WHIP)
With both teams in the heat of playoff contention, every game matters. The difference between competing for a shot at an NCAA Tournament berth and sitting at home could come down to just one play. The Bobcats control their own fate with just three games remaining, and look to become unlikely participants of this year’s MAAC tournament.
