Fort Wayne, Ind. – Aquinas wrapped up its four-game series against Indiana Tech yesterday (Apr. 21). After splitting games on Saturday (Apr. 20), the Warriors managed to take both games on Sunday to hold Aquinas to just one win against IT this season.
The result moved AQ to 21-23 this year with a 13-13 WHAC record. Aquinas is currently in seventh place in the WHAC and is fighting for a spot in the upcoming tournament in just two weeks.
Game 1: Indiana Tech 7, Aquinas 0 (7 Innings)
Ryan Gillings earned Aquinas' first hit of the game in the top of the third inning after the Warriors took a two-run lead in the bottom of the first inning. A sacrifice bunt and a
Ramsey Bousseau single put runners on the corners, but AQ was unable to bring the run home.
Two IT hits and an AQ error in the bottom of the third had AQ behind by five runs early. The Warriors tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth before the Saints picked up their only other hit of the game in the top of the fifth as Gillings singled again.
Aquinas was held scoreless in the first contest, but not before the hosts added one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth frame.
Game 2: Indiana Tech 9, Aquinas 7
The second game of the doubleheader was far more competitive. Both teams picked up a handful of hits through the first three innings, but it wasn't until the top of the fourth that the first run was scored.
JD Gillies walked and then was able to score after a pair of Warrior errors allowed
Drew Mitchell and
Dawson Shearer to reach base. Walks from
Ramsey Bousseau and
Grant Martin, along with singles from
Chase Ingersoll and Gillings, allowed the Saints to take a massive 5-0 lead in the fourth.
Indiana Tech got on the scoreboard with a lone run in the bottom of the fifth, but neither team was able to score any other runs through six and a half innings, despite runners being left on base nearly every inning. That changed in the bottom of the seventh as the Warriors came to life. Indiana Tech scored six runs on four hits and an error, including a grand slam.
Now trailing, the Saints responded in the top of the eighth.
Grant Martin homered to start the inning before doubles from Gillings and Gillies tied the game at seven.
Aquinas got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth but were retired in order in the top of the ninth. The Saints needed to keep Indiana Tech off the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth to take the game to extras. It looked like that might just happen, as AQ only needed one out to get out of the ninth. However, Indiana Tech delivered a monster home run to walk it off and take both games of the doubleheader.
By the Numbers
Indiana Tech's bats were going all day, outpacing AQ 24-11 in hits. However, Aquinas was far more active on the basepaths with four steals to IT's zero.
Zach Marshall had a quality start in game two, allowing just three runs in six innings with four strikeouts.
Gillings and Bousseau both had productive days at the plate, recording four hits and three hits, respectively. The two combined for seven of AQ's 11 total hits.
Up Next
Aquinas will need to rebound quickly with a doubleheader against Cleary on Tuesday (Apr. 23).
