The Centennial Conference baseball tournament will head to Baltimore for the 13th time as the Blue Jays locked up the top seed throughout the CC regular season. Franklin & Marshall will be the No. 2 seed, followed by Dickinson (No. 3), Swarthmore (No. 4) and Haverford (No. 5).
The 2023 championship tournament will feature an expanded field of five teams for the first time in conference history. Fourth-seeded Swarthmore (20-17-1, 9-8-1 CC) will host fifth-seeded Haverford (19-19, 9-9 CC) in Tuesday's play-in game. The winner of that contest will advance to the double-elimination portion of the tournament. Tuesday's matchup will feature a rematch of Monday's regular season finale between the Garnet and Fords. Needing a win to get into the postseason, the Fords earned a 10-5 victory over the Garnet at the Maple Zone Sports Institute. The Garnet had already clinched a playoff berth prior to the contest.
The winner of Tuesday's Swarthmore/Haverford matchup will travel to Baltimore on Thursday for a matchup at top-seeded Hopkins (34-3, 15-1 CC). Second-seeded Franklin & Marshall (25-13, 12-4 CC) will host third-seeded Dickinson (22-16-1, 10-8 CC) in Thursday's other contest. Needing one win to assure themselves of a playoff spot on Monday, the Red Devils split with Ursinus (9-0 win) and F&M (9-3 loss) on Monday to clinch a playoff spot.
The Blue Jays and Diplomats will play their postponed regular season doubleheader on Tuesday to wrap up the CC regular season slate.
Following Thursday's games, the action will shift to Baltimore for the remainder of the tournament on Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday, May 2 | at #4 seed
Game 1: #5 Haverford at #4 Swarthmore, 3 p.m.
Thursday, May 4 | at #1 & #2 seeds
Game 2: #4/5 winner at #1 Johns Hopkins, 3 p.m.
Game 3: #3 Dickinson at #2 Franklin & Marshall, 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 6 | Baltimore, Md.
Game 4: Loser of game 2 vs. Loser of game 3, 9 a.m
Game 5: Winner of game 2 vs. Winner of game 3, not before 12:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after game 3
Game 6: Winner of game 4 vs. Loser of game 5, begins 30 minutes after game 4
Sunday, May 7 | Baltimore, Md.
Game 7: Winner of game 5 vs. Winner of game 6, 12 p.m
Game 8: Championship game, if necessary, begins 30 minutes after game 7