Livonia, Mich. — For a second straight game the Aquinas baseball team plated 10 runs in a single contest but still lost, and the nightcap wasn't any easier to swallow as Madonna went on to sweep Sunday's doubleheader on Mar. 26 with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning.

The Saints (8-14, 1-5 WHAC) have now lost four straight and haven't beat the Crusaders (11-8, 5-0 WHAC) since the 2016 season. But, AQ had one of its best chances to break a 12-game winless streak against Madonna at Ilitch Ballpark in Livonia, Mich.

Game 1: Madonna 17, Aquinas 10

It's a score that would have looked more fitting on a Sunday afternoon in the fall rather than the spring, yet both baseball teams (not football) knocked the ball around the yard with ease to light up the scoreboard.

Madonna scored in every inning, except the sixth. Eight runs came in the fifth inning. While AQ's biggest outburst came in the sixth with five runs to cut down a 17-5 deficit to get to the final score of 17-10.

Dane Smitz, Mark Binkowski and Jake Paganelli each recorded three hits for the Saints. Paganelli and Grant Martin each racked up four RBIs.

Three of those RBIs for catcher Paganelli came off a home run to right field in the sixth inning. It was his fourth home run this season.

Madonna hit three home runs in the game. Two of them were two-run shots and the other brought home three runs. Ten of the Crusaders' 18 hits went for extra bases.

Aquinas scored its 10 runs on 14 hits, and left eight runners on base.

AQ starter Mason Hill was dealt the loss on the mound. He was one of five Saints to pitch in the contest.

Game 2: Madonna 5, Aquinas 4 (10 Innings)

The Crusaders jumped out to a 3-0 lead after a pair of home runs from Jace Matkin in the first and third inning. 

Aquinas chipped away with an RBI groundout by Nicolas Verdugo in the fifth and RBI single by Paganelli in the sixth. Madonna increased its lead back to two with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth, 4-2.

The Saints, however, wouldn't go away. Smitz scored Verdugo on an RBI sacrifice in the seventh. Verdugo then singled home Drew Mitchell in the eighth to tie the score at 4-4.

AQ had a runner thrown out at home in the ninth inning and left two runners on base. In the bottom half, Madonna stranded Anthony Sharkas on third base after he hit a two-out triple.

In the bonus 10th frame, Aquinas again left two runners on base. It proved to be extra costly as Madonna dramatic won 5-4 in the bottom half with a pinch-hit, two-out, walk-off home run by freshman Brady Krzciok to right center field.

The Saints outhit the Crusaders, 12-11. Dawson Shearer, Paganelli and Verdugo each produced a pair of hits. Verdugo went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

AQ starter Conor Gausselin lasted six innings before Tyler Zomerlei took over and pitched the rest of the game. Zomerlei took the loss.

Aquinas was briefly scheduled to play Calvin in one nine-inning game on Monday (Mar. 27), but the Knights had to back out in order to reschedule another game that they had postponed from this weekend. Instead, the Saints will return to action next weekend with a four-game conference series against UM-Dearborn.

Both Saturday (Apr. 1) and Sunday (Apr. 2) doubleheaders will be played at the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Mich., with a 1 p.m. start time each day.