Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Aquinas men's baseball team returned to action today (Apr. 2) at De Witt Field for a doubleheader against the University of Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines. AQ's last conference win came on March 20th with a win against Cornerstone and the Saints were looking to pick up a couple of wins to move up the WHAC standings. Aquinas did just that, winning two close games against UMD with the second game coming in walk-off fashion.

AQ won the first game 3-2 and the second game 7-6 to improve to 11-14 on the season with a 3-5 conference record. UMD falls to 2-18 on the year with a 2-6 conference record.

Game 1: Aquinas 3, UM-Dearborn 2 (7 Innings)

Conor Gausselin started on the mound for the Saints and started the game with a quick one-two-three inning to bring the Saints up to the plate. An early double play gave the Saints two outs, but a single from Mark Binkowski and a walk from Jake Paganelli gave AQ runners on first and second with two outs.

The designated hitter, Grant Martin, stepped up to the plate and singled through the right side of the infield to score Binkowski from second. JD Gillies flew out in the next at-bat, but AQ now held a 1-0 lead heading into the second inning.

UMD quickly responded with consecutive singles to put runners on first and second. The Wolverines bunted the runners into scoring position and a groundout on the ensuing at-bat scored the runner from third to tie the game at one.

Singles continued to be the offensive catalyst for UMD as three singles in the top of the third inning gave UM-Dearborn a 2-1 advantage.

Martin earned his second RBI of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo bomb down the left-field line to tie the game. Luke Lacross singled in the bottom of the fifth inning to put a runner on first with no outs. Lacross stole second base and then Binkowski singled to left field to bring Lacross around the bases. The Binkowski RBI put AQ ahead with the score at 3-2.

Gausselin continued to deal into the sixth inning with another one-two-three inning. He closed out a complete-game performance in the seventh inning after a flyout to left field ended the game with a 3-2 victory for Aquinas.

The junior pitched from Battle Creek allowed just six hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Martin ended the game with a two-for-three performance including two RBI. Binkowski was a perfect 3/3 at the plate with the game-winning RBI and a double.
 
Game 2: Aquinas 7, UM-Dearborn 6

The first inning went by quickly with neither team mustering much offensive action. However, a walk and a double down the left field line from the Wolverines put runners on second and third with just one out. Mason Hill picked up the second out of the inning after striking out Gavin Hollon. Hill nearly got out of the jam unscathed, but Dearborn singled to center field to take a 1-0 lead.

Hill settled down to hold the Wolverines scoreless in the third inning. AQ got some offense started in the bottom of the third frame as Dawson Shearer led off the inning with a walk. Dane Smitz followed that walk with a single to left field and an error from the left fielder allowed Shearer to reach third and Smitz to reach second with no outs.

With Lacross at the plate, a wild pitch advanced both of the runners and gave Aquinas its first run of the game. Lacross then reached base due to a walk and immediately stole second base to put two runners in scoring position with no outs.

Binkowski hit a sacrifice fly to right field to advance both runners and give the Saints a 2-1 lead. AQ appeared to be in position to pad its lead, but a popout to third base and a flyout to center field ended the inning with just the two runs.

The game settled down as neither side scored until the top of the fifth inning. A two-run homer from the visitors in the fifth inning gave UMD the lead back and prompted an AQ pitching change with Nathan Myers now toeing the slab.

Myers got out of the fifth inning, but Dearborn added on two more runs with a double in the top of the sixth. The Wolverines now possessed a 5-2 advantage.

The game settled down as the Wolverines maintained that 5-2 advantage heading into the eighth inning. Drew Mitchell reached base due to an error from the shortstop to put a runner on first with one out. Shearer walked on the subsequent at-bat and a single to left field from Smitz brought Mitchell home from second to narrow the UMD lead to just two runs.

Smitz and Shearer advanced to second and third due to a wild pitch to give AQ two runners in scoring position with just one out. Lacross struck out swinging on the ensuing at-bat to give AQ one out left to bring the runners home. Binkowski did just that with a massive two-RBI triple to left center to tie the game. Paganelli then gave the Saints the lead with an RBI single to right field to give the Saints the lead.

Nathan Mack walked to start the top of the ninth inning, prompting AQ to look to the bullpen and bring the closer, Tyler Zomerlei, into the game.

A sacrifice bunt moved Mack to second but gave UMD one out. A groundout to Binkowski at shortstop gave the Wolverines two outs and moved Mack to third base. Zomerlei allowed a walk to put runners at first and third with one out left to play.

Paganelli attempted to throw out UMD's steal attempt at second base, but the throw hit the runner and allowed Mack to score to tie the game. On the very next pitch, the Wolverines flew out to right field, but the visitors managed to tie the game at six.

Gillies started the bottom of the ninth with a single into right field. Speedster Jayden Timmer went in to pinch run for Gillies and Chase Ingersoll sacrifice bunted Timmer over to second. Mitchell stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch single into left field to bring Timmer around the bases and win the game in walk-off fashion.

Zomerlei earned his second win of the season in the win. Myers tallied up six strikeouts over 3.1 innings pitched.

Smitz ended the game with a 3/5 performance, scoring two runs and hitting another home. Binkowski went 2/3 with three RBI, a run, a walk, and a triple.

Next up for the Saints is another doubleheader tomorrow (Apr. 3). AQ is set to take on Grace Christian at 3:00 PM over at the Meijer Sports Complex.