HADLEY, Mass. – Tufts and Wesleyan finished as the divisional leaders in the NESCAC Baseball standings and are the top seeds out of the East and West, respectively.
The top four teams in each division qualify for the NESCAC Championship based on the standings from the round-robin divisional play. The eight teams will play a cross-divisional quarterfinal best-of-three series on the campus of the higher seeds on May 6 and 7. The winners from the quarterfinal weekend will advance to the championship weekend, May 12-14, at Colby College. The NESCAC Champion will receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
2022 Championship Recap
In Game 7, the Middlebury Panthers scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase an 8-5 deficit and post a 12-8 come-from-behind victory over Hamilton to win the 2022 NESCAC Baseball title. It was Middlebury's second title in program history and first since 2006. Hamilton, which was making its first-ever appearance in the NESCAC Tournament, forced Game 7 after earning a 17-3 win to remain alive in the championship in the opening game of the day.
Championship History
Six programs have won a NESCAC Baseball title since 2001. Tufts leads the way with six championships (last: 2019). Amherst has claimed five conference crowns, its last in 2021 and Trinity owns four titles (last: 2012). Middlebury, the defending champion, won its second title last season. Wesleyan (last: 2015) and Williams (last: 2007) join the Panthers with two NESCAC titles.
#1 EAST – Tufts Jumbos
2023 Record: 26-6 / 11-1 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 18
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 11 (last: 2021)
NESCAC Titles Won: 6 (last: 2019)
Notes: Tufts is the top seed in the East for the 12
th time and is making its eighth consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and 18th overall … The Jumbos will host Amherst, the No. 4 seed in the West, in the quarterfinal series … The NESCAC postseason series is tied at 7-7 and the two teams last met in Game 6 of the 2018 championship with Amherst winning 3-2 … Tufts only loss in the division was in Game 2 of the final series of the regular season against Colby.
#2 EAST – Colby Mules
2023 Record: 22-10 / 7-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 2
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Colby is making back-to-back appearances in the NESCAC Championship for the first time in program history … The Mules will host West No. 3 seed Hamilton in a quarterfinal series ... The Continentals defeated Colby, 11-3, in Game 5 of the 2022 tournament to advance to the championship series … Colby’s 22 wins are the second most in the program since 2001.
#3 EAST – Trinity Bantams
2023 Record: 19-12 / 6-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 12
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 7 (last: 2016)
NESCAC Titles Won: 4 (last: 2012)
Notes: Trinity is the No. 3 seed in the East for the second consecutive tournament … The Bantams travel to Middlebury, the No. 2 seed in the West, for the quarterfinals … Trinity looks to advance to the championship weekend for the first time since 2016 … The quarterfinals mark the first time the two teams will meet in the NESCAC postseason.
#4 EAST – Bowdoin Polar Bears
2023 Record: 16-12 / 5-7 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 9
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 2 (last: 2012)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Bowdoin making back-to-back appearance in the NESCAC Tournament and its ninth appearance overall … The Polar Bears travel to Wesleyan, the top seed in the West … The teams have met twice in the NESCAC Tournament and the series stands tied at 1-1 … The Cardinals won the most recent meeting, the opening game of the 2013 championship, 8-6 … Bowdoin, which enters the tournament having won four straight games, looks to reach the championship weekend for the first time since 2013.
#1 WEST – Wesleyan Cardinals
2023 Record: 15-16 / 7-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 11
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 3 (last: 2015)
NESCAC Titles Won: 2 (2014 & 2015)
Notes: Wesleyan has qualified for the NESCAC Championship for the second consecutive season and 11th time overall … The Cardinals will host Bowdoin, the No. 4 seed from the West, in the quarterfinals … The teams have met twice in the NESCAC Tournament and the series stands tied at 1-1 … The Cardinals won the most recent meeting, the opening game of the 2013 championship, 8-6 … Wesleyan last played in the championship weekend in 2018.
#2 WEST – Middlebury Panthers
2023 Record: 23-9 / 7-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 6
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 4 (last: 2022)
NESCAC Titles Won: 2 (last: 2022)
Notes: Defending NESCAC Champion … Middlebury has qualified for the NESCAC Championship for the second straight year and is the No. 2 seed in the West for the second time in program history … The Panthers will host a quarterfinal series for the second consecutive season when they face Trinity, the No. 3 seed in the East … The series marks the first time the two teams will square off in the NESCAC postseason.
#3 WEST - Hamilton Continentals
2023 Record: 18-13 / 6-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 2
NESCAC Finals Appearance: 1 (last: 2022)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: 2022 NESCAC Runners-Up … Hamilton has qualified for back-to-back NESCAC Championship for the first time in program history and is the West No. 3 seed for the first time … The Continentals travel to Colby, the East No. 2 seed … Hamilton defeated Colby, 11-3, in Game 5 of the 2022 tournament to advance to the championship series.
#4 West – Amherst Mammoths
2023 Record: 19-12-1 / 6-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 15
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 7 (last: 2021)
NESCAC Titles Won: 5 (last: 2021)
Notes: Amherst is the No. 4 seed in the West for the second straight season … The Mammoths face Tufts, the top seed in the East, in the quarterfinal series … The teams last played in Game 6 of the 2018 championship with Amherst winning, 3-2, to knot the NESCAC Tournament series up at 7-7.
