2025 NE10 Baseball Championship Preview

The Northeast-10 bracket is set, the matchups are fierce, and one thing’s for sure — this tournament is loaded with postseason drama.

Franklin Pierce reclaimed the Northeast Division title. American International shocked the league by winning the Southwest for the first time since 1991. Bentley hit 30 wins for the first time ever. Southern New Hampshire, the longtime power, is now the hunter, not the hunted. Oh, and the defending champ? New Haven, sitting in the 4-spot, waiting to spoil the fun again.

This year's NE10 Championship features a deep field of eight teams, four single-elimination matchups on Wednesday (May 7), and a gauntlet of championship weekend games from May 8–10. The Southwest’s highest remaining seed will host the final four.

Let’s break down the teams, the storylines, and what to watch.

🧭 Northeast Division

🥇 No. 1 Franklin Pierce (30-18, 20-5 NE10)

The Ravens closed the year with 8 wins in 10 games and enter the postseason as one of the most dangerous teams in DII baseball. They’ve got thunder in the lineup — 73 home runs, tops in the NE10 — and rank 13th nationally in slugging. Kiobel Lugo (16 HR, 21 SB) is a legit DII star, while Joey Acker (.380 BA, .514 OBP) and Nolan Deandrade (.703 SLG) round out one of the region’s best 1-2-3 punches.

On the mound, Niklas Pavia (89 Ks) and Drew Delucia (73 IP) are the kind of 1-2 combo that wins championships. They've lost in back-to-back NE10 title games. They're hungry.

🥈 No. 2 Bentley (33-14, 19-6 NE10)

History made. Bentley hit the 30-win mark for the first time ever and finished the season 15-2 down the stretch. They’ve got the league’s top offense (.298 BA, .409 OBP) and Brendan Sencaj (.413 BA, 67 RBI, 62 R) might be the NE10 MVP.

Pitching? It’s there too. Zach Eigenbrod (3.23 ERA) and Pat Heber (3.34 ERA) give them a puncher's chance, while Keegan Antelman (1.53 ERA) anchors a rock-solid bullpen. This team is deep, hot, and playing at home against SNHU in a monster rematch.

🥉 No. 3 Southern New Hampshire (30-14, 18-7 NE10)

Seven straight NE10 regular-season titles — gone. But don’t count out the Penmen. They’re still one of the most talented and experienced teams in DII. And if there’s a group that knows how to win this tournament, it’s SNHU.

They’ll head to Waltham to face Bentley, a team they played four times in April. That series included a 15-inning thriller and a 14-inning walk-off, and now they meet in a do-or-die game. Buckle up.

🟫 No. 4 Saint Anselm (15-30, 9-16 NE10)

The Hawks surged into the field with five straight wins and now visit powerhouse Franklin Pierce. They snapped a long losing streak to the Ravens earlier this year — and will need another upset to keep dancing.

George Slauson (10 HR, 44 RBI, 1.080 OPS) is one of the league’s most underrated bats, and fellow underclassmen like Mavrick Bourdeau and Brendan Gonzalez (.352 BA) give Saint A’s a scrappy offensive core. Can they hang with the heavyweights one more time?

🌎 Southwest Division

🥇 No. 1 American International (19-23, 13-11 NE10)

Don’t let the overall record fool you — this team battled through the deepest division and came out on top. AIC’s 1991 title drought is over, and they’re now one win from hosting Championship Weekend.

Head coach Nick Callini has this group believing. A Tuesday date with New Haven, the 2024 champs, is no easy task, but AIC is riding the high of a division crown and looking to keep the magic going.

🥈 No. 2 Pace (12-12 NE10, 5-1 tiebreaker record)

The Setters handled business in the mini-conference tiebreaker and get to host SCSU. They’ve got one of the league’s best home-field advantages and momentum at the right time. If their offense shows up, they’ll be a nightmare to face in the final four.

🥉 No. 3 Southern Connecticut (12-12 NE10)

SCSU took 2-of-3 from New Haven, which earned them the 3-seed. Now, they head to Pace for a pivotal first-round tilt. This group has big arms and postseason experience. A deep run isn’t out of the question.

🟫 No. 4 New Haven (12-12 NE10)

The defending champs get the 1-seed in their crosshairs right away. This group knows what it takes in May, and with everything reset, don’t be surprised if they flip the bracket and make another run.

🗓️ Tournament Schedule

Wednesday, May 7 – First Round (Single Elimination):

• ⚾ G1: New Haven at American International – 3 PM

• ⚾ G2: Southern Connecticut at Pace – 4 PM

• ⚾ G3: Saint Anselm at Franklin Pierce – 3 PM

• ⚾ G4: Southern New Hampshire at Bentley – 12 PM

May 8–10 – Championship Weekend (Double Elimination)Hosted by the highest remaining SW Division seed

🎟️ Tickets & Streaming

• Tickets: $10 Adults | $5 Seniors/Children | Free for NE10 Students

• Watch: NE10 NOW on FloCollege

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🔥 Final Thoughts

This NE10 bracket has everything. New contenders. Old powers. Star players and walk-off potential everywhere. Whether it's AIC completing a storybook run, Franklin Pierce finally lifting the trophy, or SNHU storming back from the 3-line, this tournament is wide open.And it starts Wednesday.