Rockford, Mich. — After scoring 22 runs to split a doubleheader on Tuesday against Cleary, the offense for the Aquinas baseball team stayed red-hot on a windy Wednesday (Apr. 12) with 30 more runs to sweep the UM-Dearborn Wolverines by scores of 14-11 and 16-14. 

AQ junior catcher Jake Paganelli shined with a grand slam in each game. Shortstop Mark Binkowski also added another grand slam to give the Saints two in the nightcap at the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Mich.

With the sweep, Aquinas improved to 19-16 overall (9-7 WHAC) and bolster a respectable 11-2 record in home games this season. UM-Dearborn dropped to 3-25 overall (3-14 WHAC) and 1-19 on the road. This was a makeup doubleheader for a twin bill that got postponed on Apr. 2 due to inclement weather.

Game 1: Aquinas 14, UM-Dearborn 11 (7 Innings)

A scoreless first inning wasn't a precursor for what was to come, as both teams knocked each other around to the tune of 25 runs on 24 hits and seven errors. The first game featured four home runs, two for each team.

Max McLennan had the first blast to tie the score at 2-2 in the third inning after a throwing error plated two runs for the Saints in the second frame. McLennan went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored in the contest.

Grant Martin powered a two-run shot over the fence in right field to restore the Saints' lead at 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth. That would ignited a nine-run frame for Aquinas. 

After Luke Lacross, JD Gillies and Dane Smitz each added RBI hits, Paganelli stepped up with the bases loaded and uncorked his first grand slam of the afternoon. The towering home run gave the Saints a commanding 12-4 advantage.

Yet, the Wolverines clawed back with six runs in the sixth after Matthew Balash hit a lead-off home run to dead center to set the tone for the inning. UM-Dearborn batted around, but Balash ended the inning by striking out with a man on first base.

With the lead trimmed to 12-10, AQ got two of the runs back in the bottom half and went to the seventh with a four-run cushion. The Wolverines ended up still bring the tying runner to the plate, but Martin got out of the jam with a game-ending pop out.

Despite racking up 13 hits, no Saint had more than two hits. Smitz, Paganelli, Gillies and Nathan Wilcox registered a multi-hit game.

The starting pitchers still ended up with the decisions when the dust settled. Conor Gausselin (2-3) got the win after 5.0 innings of work, allowing five runs on six hits. He also picked up seven strikeouts. Johnny Hesterman was dealt the lost after 4.1 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on eight hits.

Game 2: Aquinas 16, UM-Dearborn 14

The runs kept coming in the rematch. The Wolverines scratched first in the top of the first after AQ had an error in the infield with the bases loaded.

The Saints responded with six runs in the third inning. Three coming off a Martin's second home run of the game, this one to center field, and three more following a little league home run off a bunt single by Wilcox. The Wolverines' defense threw away the ball twice trying to get Wilcox out at first and then third base.

Martin went 4-for-6 with three RBIs. One of five Saints to collect multiple hits.

Just like they did in Game 1, UM-Dearborn bounced back with five runs in the fourth to tie the score at 6-6. Balash came through again with his second home run of the doubleheader. This one a no-doubt, three-run shot to center field.

The Wolverines then grabbed the lead with an RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth, 7-6.

With the bases juiced in bottom half, Paganelli went yard again for his second grand slam of the day. The hooking ball carried in the wind and stayed fair to the left side of the right field foul pole. Binkowski, Nicolas Verdugo and Drew Mitchell all jogged home.

Paganelli went 3-for-6 with four RBIs. One of three Saints to collect multiple RBIs.

Balash, however, wasn't quite done being a thorn in the Saints' side. He provided a second Wolverines' RBI double in the seventh inning to tie the game again at 10-10.

AQ regained the lead, 11-10, on a wild pitch to score pinch runner Jayden Timmer in bottom half.

Then, with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Binkowski emphatically added the insurance runs AQ desperately needed with the Saints' third grand slam of the doubleheader. Chase Ingersoll added an RBI single later in the inning to push the lead to 16-10.

The Wolverines caused one last scare in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs on three hits. Aquinas recorded the final three outs on a wild pitch that allowed them to tag out the lead runner trying to take home base, throwing out a runner trying to stretch a double into a triple and a game-ending fly out to left field.

AQ finished with four stolen base, six errors and 11 runners stranded.

Reliever Ethan Pequette (2-0) picked up the win after 1.2 innings. Martin earned the save after getting out of Pequette's bases loaded, nobody out jam in the ninth inning.

After playing eight games over the last six days, Aquinas happily takes a couple days off before returning to action this weekend with WHAC doubleheaders at Lawrence Tech (Apr. 15) and at home against Lourdes (Apr. 16). Both are scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m.