POMONA, NY – For the first time in four years, Siena will play postseason baseball. The Saints make their long-awaited return to the MAAC Championships this week at Clover Stadium, seeking the program's sixth title and first in 11 years.
Seeded fourth in the new eight-team MAAC Tournament format, Siena will open against fifth-seeded Quinnipiac Wednesday at 2 p.m. The Bobcats punched their ticket to the double elimination rounds following a 10-5 victory over defending MAAC Tournament Champion and No. 8 seed Niagara Tuesday afternoon in a single-elimination game. Siena and Quinnipiac met in the penultimate regular season series just over a week ago, with the Saints taking two of three in Connecticut.
The MAAC Baseball Championships return to Clover Stadium – home of the New York Boulders, a professional team which competes in the Frontier League – for the fourth straight season. The tournament field increased from six to eight teams this season following the expansion of the MAAC to a 13-member conference last summer. The MAAC Championships are set to run Tuesday – Saturday, with single elimination games featuring the 5-8 seeds taking place Tuesday, followed by the double elimination rounds beginning Wednesday.
All-session passes featuring admission to the entirety of the MAAC Baseball Championships are priced at $45, while single-day tickets are available for purchase for $18. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the corresponding link, or upon arrival at the Clover Stadium Box Office.
The entirety of the MAAC Baseball Championships will be broadcast on ESPN+, and can be viewed by clicking the corresponding link. Todd Callen and Mike Ferraro have the call of the Saints MAAC Tournament opener Wednesday, with JJ Duke and Gary Erdelyi comprising the other broadcast team for the week.
For more information and links relative to the MAAC Baseball Championships, click the corresponding MAAC Tournament Central link.
SIENA IN THE MAAC CHAMPIONSHIPS (16TH APPEARANCE)
Championships: 5 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2014)
Record: 33-22 (.600)
As the No. 4 seed: 7-6 (.538)
At Clover Stadium: 0-0
Vs. 2025 Tournament Field: 15-6 (.714)
Vs. 2025 Tournament Field (this regular season): 7-8 (.467)
Siena makes the program's 16
th MAAC Tournament appearance in search of its sixth title and first in 11 years. The Saints five MAAC Championships (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2014) are third most in conference history, trailing only former MAAC member Le Moyne (eight) and Marist (six), while Siena's 10 MAAC Championship Series appearances are the most all-time. Additionally, the Saints 33 MAAC Tournament wins trail only Canisius (35).
Siena returns to the MAAC Tournament for the first time in four years, and just the second time since 2018. The Saints had previously qualified for the MAAC Tournament six times in an eight-season span from 2011-18, and advanced to the MAAC Championship Series in six straight Tournament appearances from 2008-16. Siena has posted a 20-21 mark over the program's past 11 MAAC Tournaments, after having begun a remarkable 13-1 in winning championships in each of the program's first four appearances (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999).
The Saints are set to play in their first MAAC Tournament since the 2021 COVID-affected season, where all conference teams played an exclusive league schedule before competing in an expanded eight-team postseason field. Seventh-seeded Siena dropped two out of three in a best-of-three quarterfinal round series at No. 2 Monmouth, falling in the final two games after having taken the upper hand in the opener.
The Saints have enjoyed prior success as the MAAC Tournament No. 4 seed. Siena holds a 7-6 record as the four-seed, and has won multiple Tournament games in all three prior appearances (2013, 2015, 2018), while advancing to the MAAC Championship Series in both 2013 and 2015.
The Saints are a stellar 15-6 (.714) all-time in MAAC Tournament action against this year's field, with .500 or better records against four of the five squads they've previously faced (Niagara). Siena went 7-8 in regular season action against this year's field, taking two of three from both Quinnipiac and Niagara, while dropping two of three to Fairfield, Sacred Heart, and Marist. The Saints did not face Rider nor Mount St. Mary's in regular season action.
SCOUTING SIENA (22-30, 17-13 MAAC)
Siena qualified for the MAAC Tournament after experiencing a program rebirth this spring. Projected to place 11
th (out of 13 teams) according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Saints finished regular season action in a three-way tie for third-place in the MAAC Standings with both Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac to secure the program's first postseason appearance in four years.
The Saints 22 victories entering postseason play mark a 10-win improvement over last season, and is the program's highest win total in nine years (25 wins in 2016). Moreover, the 17 MAAC wins more than double last season's eight, and equal the 2014 MAAC Championship squad for the program's highest total in 20 years (19 in 2005). The MAAC expanded from 24 to a 30-game league schedule this spring.
After beginning league play 3-6 following three straight series losses, Siena finished 14-7 in MAAC action. The Saints won six straight MAAC series from Apr. 4 – May 12, the program's longest such streak since capturing nine in a row from April 2016 – April 2017. Additionally, Siena won eight straight MAAC series openers to begin its league slate.
Siena opened its 2025 campaign just 4-17 before an offensive insurgence turned the season around. Ignited by a 13-1 non-conference win at FDU on Mar. 26, the Saints have gone 18-13 to surge into the MAAC Tournament. After averaging just 3.7 runs while hitting only .230 over that opening 21-game stretch, Siena has more than doubled its scoring output to average 7.9 runs while batting to the tune of a .318 clip spanning the 31 games since. Six Saints regulars are hitting over .300 during that 31-game span, led by
Aidan Paradine who has batted an unworldly .424 with a .520 on-base percentage and .669 slugging percentage with all seven of his home runs to go along with 30 RBI.
Siena has come through clutch this season, winning three games when trailing after seven innings, and holds a perfect 4-0 record in extra inning affairs. The Saints are 13-1 when holding their opponents to five runs or fewer, and even a solid 21-10 when allowing less than 10 runs.
Siena entered the 2025 season looking to build off a 12-40 overall record including an 8-16 league mark last spring, finishing ninth out of 11 teams in the MAAC Standings. The Saints retooled their roster during the offseason, bringing in 14 newcomers comprised of 11 transfers and three true freshmen.
SCOUTING SIENA – PITCHING
The Siena pitching staff has been anchored by staff ace
Alistair Morin. The first Saint to secure First Team All-MAAC honors in six years, the red-shirt junior wrapped up a fantastic regular season in which he went 5-5 over 14 starts, while ranking second in the MAAC in strikeouts (73), sixth in ERA (4.14), and eighth in opponents batting average (.251). Morin pitched the Saints to eight consecutive MAAC series opening victories to begin the conference slate.
Converted starter
Tyler Sausville has secured the back-end of the bullpen where he ranks second in the MAAC with five saves. The Xavier transfer led Siena with a 3.55 ERA during conference action to go along with a 4-1 record and all five of his saves.
Senior
Noah Rodriguez and graduate student
Holden Phelps have joined Morin as mainstays in the weekend rotation. Rodriguez leads the staff with a 2.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while Phelps ranks ninth in the MAAC with 60 strikeouts.
SCOUTING SIENA – HITTING
The Siena offense has been paced by Second Team All-MAAC selections Paradine and
Jake Sparks. The duo joined Morin earlier this week as the first Saints to earn either First or Second Team All-MAAC honors in four years.
Paradine has paced the Siena offense in his first full collegiate season, and ranks third in the MAAC in both batting average (.377) and on-base percentage (.484), and ninth in both OPS (1.036) and hits (69). The red-shirt freshman and Buster Posey Award Midseason Watch List selection (nation's most outstanding catcher) has appeared in 51 games (50 starts), and also leads the Saints with 46 runs scored while achieving a team-best 27-game reached base streak earlier this season.
A local product from nearby Hoosick Falls who transferred into Siena as a sophomore this season from Marshall, Sparks currently stands tied for second in the MAAC in home runs (14), tied for fifth in total bases (125), ninth in both RBI (50) and doubles (16), and 10
th in slugging percentage (.610). The third baseman has appeared in all 52 games (51 starts) at the hot corner, where he recently achieved a team-best 19-game hitting streak and carries a 22-game on-base streak into postseason play.
Meanwhile Division III transfer (George Fox)
Jeremy Sangalang has set the table atop the order as the only Saint to both start and appear in all 52 games. The shortstop is hitting .310 while leading Siena in doubles (17), walks (27), and stolen bases (10).
The Saints rank second in the MAAC in doubles (109) and have been hit by a pitch a program single-season record 86 times.
HEAD COACH ALEX JURCZYNSKI (SECOND SEASON AT SIENA: 34-70 OVERALL, 25-29 MAAC)
In just his second season at the helm,
Alex Jurczynski has reenergized the program. Under his guidance, the Saints have already achieved their highest win total in nine years and matched the program's most conference victories in two decades. Projected to finish 11
th (13 teams) according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the native of nearby Schenectady piloted Siena to a tied for third place finish and first postseason appearance in four years.
Jurczynski joined the Saints after spending the previous six seasons on staff at Princeton (2018-23). He previously served as the head coach at nearby Hudson Valley Community College (2015-17), and holds a 105-107 overall career record in five seasons as a collegiate head coach. Jurczynski earned his 100
th collegiate head coaching victory on May 2 vs. Canisius.
THE SERIES WITH #1 RIDER
Overall: Siena leads, 43-37
MAAC Championships: 6-5
Siena holds a 43-37 all-time advantage over Rider in a series which began back in 1995. The programs did not play this spring in regular season action, as the Broncs were one of the Saints two league byes (Mount St. Mary's). Rider swept the most recent three-game series between the programs in Lawrenceville in 2024, outscoring Siena by a 26-3 margin. The Broncs have won five straight overall in the series after the Saints had claimed 11 of the previous 12.
Rider is the Saints most common MAAC Tournament opponent, with the programs having met 11 previous times in postseason play, albeit not since 2015. Siena holds a 6-5 edge all-time in MAAC Tournament action, including wins in three of the last four postseason meetings. The programs have twice previously played in the MAAC Championship Series, with the Saints defeating the Broncs to claim the 1999 title, while Rider bounced back in a second title game in 2008 to capture the crown.
THE SERIES WITH #2 FAIRFIELD
Overall: Fairfield leads, 44-40
MAAC Championships: 5-2
Fairfield holds a 44-40 all-time advantage over Siena in a series which began back in 1995. Remarkably, each of the last 16 meetings between the programs have been played in Connecticut due to a scheduling quirk, with the Stags winning 14 of those contests. Fairfield is 21-5 vs. Siena beginning back with the 2016 MAAC Championship Series.
Fairfield took two of three from Siena Mar. 21-23 in Connecticut. The Saints won the opener 4-2 in 11 innings behind a go-ahead two-out RBI double by
Noah Brooks. Morin combined with three relievers to scatter six hits and one earned run, while holding the Stags to just 1-24 with runners on and 1-16 with runners in scoring position, as Fairfield stranded 18 runners total. The Stags bounced back to take the series with a 7-2 win in Game Two before mercy-ruling Siena 10-0 in a walk-off in the eighth in the rubber game.
Sean Camacho led the Saints with four hits and three stolen bases in the series, while Sangalang and
Nick Bergamotto added four hits apiece.
Siena has won five of seven all-time MAAC Tournament matchups with Fairfield. However, the Stags prevailed in the most recent meeting, defeating the Saints 18-2 to secure their most recent MAAC Championship in 2016.
THE SERIES WITH #3 SACRED HEART
Overall: Sacred Heart leads, 3-2
MAAC Championships: 0-0
The first-year MAAC foes met for just the second time ever and first time in 50 years earlier this spring. The programs initially split a pair of games back in 1975, before Sacred Heart took two of three March 28-29 in Loudonville.
Siena won the opener 4-3 behind seven strong innings from Morin, and a game-tying home run from Sparks followed by a decisive bases loaded walk from Bergamotto in the seventh. The Pioneers took the nightcap of the series-opening doubleheader 14-2 behind a six-run first inning. Sacred Heart then erupted for 12 unanswered runs – 10 of which came over the final two innings – to stun the Saints 12-4 in the rubber game. Paradine paced the Saints with five hits – three of which went for extra bases – while reaching base eight times in the series.
THE SERIES WITH #5 QUINNIPIAC
Overall: Siena leads, 21-15
MAAC Championships: 1-1
Siena holds a 21-15 advantage in the all-time series over Quinnipiac in a series which began back in 1985. The Saints won five of six vs. the Bobcats between 1985-2005 in non-conference action, before playing regularly as league foes upon Quinnipiac's arrival to the MAAC for the 2014 season. Siena has also won five of six against the Bobcats over the past two seasons.
The Saints took two of three from Quinnipiac in the regular season series less than two weeks ago in Connecticut. The teams split a series-opening doubleheader on May 8. The Bobcats took the opener 13-7 behind a seven-RBI performance out of the seven-hole from Cole Constable, who finished a single shy of the cycle. Siena bounced back from a 6-2 deficit in the seventh with seven unanswered to take the nightcap 9-6 behind the second straight three-hit game of the day – and go-ahead RBI single – from Sangalang. After not playing due to weather on Friday – nor the entirety of the weekend due to the two-day Quinnipiac graduation – the Saints returned to Hamden to take the rubber game 7-4 on Monday, May 12 thanks to a four-run third inning.
Owen Pincince (6-12, four RBI) and Sangalang (7-15, five runs scored) paced the Saints offensively in the series, while Sausville saved both victories.
The programs have twice previously met in the MAAC Tournament in a pair of 10-inning thrillers. Siena prevailed 6-5 in extra innings in 2013, with the Bobcats walking off 7-6 in 2018.
THE SERIES WITH #6 MOUNT ST. MARY'S
Overall: Mount St. Mary's leads, 2-1
MAAC Championships: 0-0
The now third-year MAAC foes have only met once previously, with Mount St. Mary's taking two of three in their inaugural 2023 MAAC season in Maryland. The programs have not played either of the past two seasons as a result of league byes with each other. The schools had never met prior to their inaugural meeting as MAAC foes two years ago.
THE SERIES WITH #7 MARIST
Overall: Marist leads, 47-41
MAAC Championships: 3-1
Marist holds a 47-41 lead over Siena in a series which began back in 1994. The Red Foxes have claimed the all-time series lead by capturing 14 of the past 19 meetings since the start of the 2019 season. Each of the last 12 matchups between the I-87 rivals have been played in the Capital Region, after the previous seven were contested in Poughkeepsie.
Marist took two of three from Siena in the final regular season series this past weekend in Loudonville. The Saints rallied from a nine-run fifth inning deficit to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth before ultimately falling 13-11 in the series-opener last Thursday at Connors Park. Jason Claiborn had three hits and knocked in five runs for the Red Foxes. Marist locked up the series – and a MAAC Tournament berth – with an 11-4 triumph in Game Two Friday, punctuated by a three-run fifth inning home run from Dylan Milliman. Siena salvaged the series with a 10-3 Senior Day victory Saturday to clinch the final MAAC Tournament bye to the double elimination rounds. Sangalang went 6-12 with four runs scored over the weekend, while Paradine added six hits, and Brooks and Bergamotto contributed five apiece.
Siena has won three of four MAAC Tournament meetings with Marist, including three straight. The Saints most recently defeated the Red Foxes twice to eliminate Marist from the 2018 season.
THE SERIES WITH #8 NIAGARA
Overall: Siena leads, 87-51
MAAC Championships: 0-1
Siena has dominated the all-time series against Niagara to the tune of an 87-51 advantage, dating back to 1965. The 138 times that Siena has played Niagara is tied with Canisius for the Saints most common all-time opponent.
Siena took two of three from the Purple Eagles in the regular season series April 11-13 in Loudonville. The Saints swept the series-opening doubleheader by scores of 10-8 and 6-5, behind home runs from Sparks in each contest. Niagara bounced back to salvage the series with a 7-4 triumph in the finale behind a three RBI performance from Mason Cisco.
The programs have only once previously met in MAAC Tournament action, with Niagara eliminating Siena from the 2005 season.
