Sylvania, Ohio – Aquinas kept its fans on the edge of their seats today (May 1) to start the WHAC Tournament. AQ started the day against No. 6-seeded Lawrence Tech and walked it off in the bottom of the seventh to move on to the second round of the winner's bracket. The Saints then clashed with UNOH a fell behind 5-1 early.  However, AQ rallied back throughout the game and scored three in the top of the seventh to continue in the winner's bracket.

The Saints now have a date with Madonna tomorrow (May 2) for a chance to advance to the championship game. If AQ beats Madonna, they will move to the championship game with a loss to spare. Were the Saints to lose to the Crusaders, they would need to win one game in the loser's bracket to play Madonna again for a chance at the tournament championship.

Game 1: Aquinas 3, Lawrence Tech 2

The game started with six consecutive outs before LTU recorded the first hit of the contest in the top of the second. Lawrence Tech was unable to capitalize off that hit, allowing the Saints to be the first to score in the bottom of the frame. Courtney Hardin walked and stole second before Darrien Roberts singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Base hits from Kaelyn Stafford and Emma Houseman drove in both of those runs for a 2-0 lead.

LTU responded with a run in the top of the third before the game quieted down. Pitching and defense from both teams dominated the game over the next two-and-a-half innings. That changed in the top of the sixth when a pair of hits and an Aquinas error allowed Lawrence Tech to tie the game at two.

The Blue Devils threatened again in the top of the seventh after utilizing an interesting strategy of advancing the leadoff runner to third with two sacrifice bunts. However, a groundout to Carson Hendrickson quelled the threat and brought the Saints up to bat with a chance to walk it off.

Houseman opened the bottom of the seventh with a single up the middle and Jessica Dobias reached base with a perfect bunt to put two runners on with no outs. Both Houseman and Dobias moved into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt from Haley Myers. Kim Sosnowski was intentionally walked to load the bases but also set up a double play that would end the inning.

Katie Carlson had other ideas. With flashbacks of the Cornerstone game earlier this season, Carlson delivered once again in a nearly identical situation. She hit the ball far enough through the right side of the infield that Houseman was able to score and start the walk-off celebration.

Grace Maguire pitched another gem of a game in the circle. She pitched all seven innings and allowed just four hits with six strikeouts.

Game 2: Aquinas 7, UNOH 5

The Racers got to Sophia Pavese early in a rare rough start for the junior. UNOH homered in the first and squeezed in a run in the second inning to take an early 3-0 advantage.

Aquinas was able to find a much-needed response in the top of the third after hits from Houseman and Myers managed to bring a run home to cut into the deficit. However, UNOH added on another two runs after a pair of doubles and a single in the bottom of the third, putting the Saints behind 5-1.

The Saints immediately fired up their offense in the top of the fourth following the four-run deficit. Hardin walked with one out and Roberts reached base on an error. Stafford launched a clutch double into the right-field gap to clear the bases and cut the UNOH lead to just two. Two batters later, Houseman remained hot, sending a two-out single into left field to bring AQ's run total to four.

Leah Vaughan took over pitching duties in the fourth and immediately shut the Racers down. The hard-throwing senior kept the Racers off the scoreboard through the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to keep AQ in the game.

Heading into the final inning, UNOH still led the Saints 5-4. Houseman picked up yet another hit to lead off the inning, but two quick outs had the Saints on the brink of their first loss of the tournament. With Houseman on third and two outs, Sosnowski picked up a massive single to left field to tie the game and give AQ life.

That Sosnowski hit started up a two-out rally as Carlson doubled and Hardin singled to bring home two more runs for Aquinas' first lead of the game. Maguire entered the final inning of the game to close out the Racers. After two quick outs, UNOH gave AQ a two-out scare in the bottom of the seventh, but a flyout to right field ended the game and had the Saints celebrating once again. Maguire earned her first save since 2022 with the result.

By the Numbers

Houseman went an incredible 5/6 at the plate today with five singles and two RBIs, continuously providing an offensive spark when AQ needed it.

Stafford led the team today with three RBIs on two hits. Roberts, Dobias, Sosnowski, Hardin, Hendrickson, Carlson, and Myers all picked up a single hit over the two games.

Maguire was phenomenal today, allowing just one earned run over eight innings pitched. Vaughan was also great in relief, posting a 0.00 ERA over three innings to keep AQ in the game.

Up Next

The Saints will battle the Crusaders for a spot in the WHAC Tournament Championship tomorrow (May 2) at 2:30 p.m.