Rockford, Mich. — The threat of rain lurking tried to dampen a joyous Senior Day for Aquinas baseball team.

Nonetheless, the Saints took care of business on the diamond with a pair of rare conference wins against the University of Northwestern Ohio on Saturday (Apr. 29) and then honor their seven seniors before sky opened up above the Meijer Sports Complex in Rockford, Mich.

It's the first time in program history that AQ has swept a doubleheader against the Racers. The Saints are now 7-32 all-time against UNOH.

Aquinas, currently fourth-best in the conference, improved to 28-20 overall (18-10 WHAC) and closed the distance between themselves and No. 3 UNOH (25-18, 21-9 WHAC).

More importantly, the Saints created a larger gap between themselves and the cutoff spot to make the WHAC Tournament. The Top 6 teams in the conference qualify and it's close battle between Cleary (17-12), Lawrence Tech (15-11) and Indiana Tech (16-12) to not be the team that gets left out. Because Cleary and Lawrence Tech are playing each other to end the regular season, one will pick up a 13th loss. That means even if AQ losses its final two conference games to UNOH tomorrow (Apr. 30), the Saints can't drop out of the Top 6.

Therefore, AQ has clinched a WHAC Tournament berth for the first time since 2015, ending a seven-year drought.

Game 1: Aquinas 13, UNOH 1 (7 Innings)

The Saints took control of the opener with a seven-run fourth inning. This came after UNOH left two on base in the first inning and then grounded into a bases loaded doubled play to end the second frame.

Yet, it was an RBI double by Mark Binkowski in the third inning that scored the first run of the game. AQ's bats kept rolling in the breakout fourth inning. Binkowski, Luke Lacross, Grant Martin and Chase Ingersoll all provided RBI hits. Both Lacross and Ingersoll showed off their speed with run-scoring triples.

All seven of the runs were scored in the fourth came with two outs.

UNOH brought in its lone run in the fifth off an RBI single by Nathan Alvarez. AQ answered with five more runs in the bottom to effectively leave no doubts about the final outcome.

Dane Smitz singled in Lacross, Dawson Shearer scored on a passed ball, Binkowski roped another RBI single to right field and Ingersoll picked up his third and fourth RBIs on a two-run double to right center.

AQ outhit UNOH 13-5. The Racers also committed two errors in the field, while the Saints didn't commit a single error in either game of the doubleheader.

Four Saints finished with multiple hits. Binkowski led the way, going 3-for-5 and, just like Ingersoll, racked up four RBIs. Smitz, Ingersoll and Lacross each had two hits.

AQ starting pitcher Mason Hill picked up his seventh win of the season (7-4) after going 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits. He also had five strikeouts. The Saints scored eight runs off UNOH starter Rolando Heredia-Bustos to give him his first loss of the season (5-1).

Game 2: Aquinas 9, UNOH 7

Carrying over the momentum of taking Game 1, AQ slugger Jake Paganelli got the Saints off and running in the rematch with a no-doubt home run in the first inning. The two-run blast was Paganelli's team-leading ninth of the season.

The Racers, however, weren't going away without a fight this time. UNOH tied the game at 2-2 in the third with an RBI single and a double steal that allowed Nolan Hull to take home when AQ messed up the run down situation between first and second base.

Eliomar Otero then admired his long solo home run to right field in the fourth inning, which gave the Racers their first lead of the day. The next inning, UNOH's lead grew to 4-2 with Alex Velasco picked up his second RBI of the game on a double down the left field line.

With two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth, AQ designated hitter Grant Martin delivered with his own double down the left field line to bring in Smitz and Lacross to knot things up at 4-4. That's how things stayed until the eighth inning.

With the weather radar pulled up on phones and spectators watching dark clouds slowly roll in, time was of the essence and every moment was magnified with the game tied.

Josue Ortiz thought he had delivered the game-winning hit in the top of the eighth to push the Racers back ahead 5-4. The Saints had other ideas, scoring five runs in the bottom half to take a commanding 9-5 lead.

AQ scored off a failed pick off attempt at third base to tie the game and then got a pair of two-run singles by Binkowski and Paganelli.

Martin replaced Tyler Zomerlei on the mound in the ninth with runners on first and second base with no out. He picked up a double play before Alvarez kept UNOH's hopes alive with a two-out, two-run home run to cut the deficit to 9-7. Velasco popped up to Binkowski to end the game and get Martin his third save this season.

AQ starter Conor Gausselin lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. Zomerlei picked up the win to improve to 6-5 on the season. The Saints used four different pitchers.

UNOH outhit AQ 13-11, but left more runners on base (9-7).

Smitz, Paganelli and JD Gillies each had two hits. Paganelli finished with four RBIs. Smitz, Binkowski, Ingersoll and Lacross each stole one base.

After the conclusion of Game 2, the Saints recognized seven student-athletes for Senior Day: Nathan Esch, Josh Avink, Nathan Myers, Joseph Kelley, Hill, Paganelli and Smitz.

The rain started to come down hard shortly after the ceremony was over.

Aquinas is scheduled to play two more games against UNOH on Sunday (Apr. 30) at Cornerstone's De Witt Field. With rain in the forecast, there is a possibility the regular season-ending twin bill could be canceled. If not, first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Stay tuned to AQSaints.com for additional updates.