GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Aquinas baseball team opened its 2024 season with a tough doubleheader loss to Shawnee State on Sunday. The Saints dropped game one, 14-3, before falling 13-5 in game two, as defensive struggles and big innings from Shawnee State proved to be the difference. Despite flashes of power, including home runs from Grant Martin and Luke Lacross, Aquinas was unable to slow down the Bears' offense, which totaled 27 runs on 25 hits across the two games.

Game One: Shawnee State 14, Aquinas 3 (7 Innings)

Shawnee State struck first, scoring one run in the opening inning before breaking out for four more in the second. Jace Parnin drove in a run with an RBI single, followed by a two-run double from Wyatt Haupt to extend the lead.

Aquinas answered in the bottom of the first when Ramsey Bousseau led off with a single and later came around to score on an RBI single to right from Luke LaCross. However, the Saints were unable to sustain offensive momentum against a strong Shawnee State pitching staff.

The Bears added two more runs before delivering the knockout punch with a five-run sixth inning, highlighted by three homers.

Aquinas pushed across two more runs later in the game, including an RBI single from Drew Mitchell in the fourth and a sacrifice fly from Luke LaCross in the seventh, but the damage had already been done.

Game 1 Standout Performances

•         JT LaMange led the Aquinas offense, going 3-for-3 and accounting for nearly half of the team's hits.
•                 Luke LaCross added an RBI single, while Drew Mitchell also drove in a run.
•           Ramsey Bousseau reached base twice via hit-by-pitch and scored a run.
•         The Saints showed speed on the bases, recording three stolen bases from Lacross, Dawson Shearer, and Eric Bryce.

Game Two: Shawnee State 13, Aquinas 5 (7 Innings)

Shawnee State took control early, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding another in the second to build a 4-1 lead. Aquinas got on the board in the second when Dylan Nguyen was hit by a pitch and later scored, but the Saints couldn't generate consistent offense against Shawnee State's pitching staff.

Aquinas battled back in the third with a three-run inning, highlighted by Grant Martin's three-run homer, also scoring Ramsey Bousseau (walk),& Dylan Nguyen (hit by pitch), cutting the deficit to 8-4. Luke LaCross added a solo home run in the fifth, but that would be the final run for the Saints.

Aquinas attempted to mount a late comeback.

Game 2 Standout Performances

• Grant Martin went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run, leading the Saints' offense.
• Luke LaCross hit a solo home run and added a double, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI.
• Blake Bennett and Landon Mueller each contributed singles.
• Ramsey Bousseau stole a base and reached base three times with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.

By the Numbers for the double header

• Total Runs: Shawnee State 27, Aquinas 8
• Total Hits: Shawnee State 25, Aquinas 14
• Errors: Aquinas 8, Shawnee State 2
• Home Runs: Aquinas 2 (Lacross, Martin), Shawnee State 4
• Strikeouts (Pitching): Shawnee State 12, Aquinas 12

Coach's Corner

Head Coach Chris LaMange acknowledged the results will get better but how glad his team is to not be inside, "Best part of today was we finally got a chance to be outside and on a baseball field. Plenty of good things happened but we obviously see many areas we need to improve on for our next DH."

Up Next

Aquinas will get to practice all week and refine their skills before they head to Campbellsville, KY for back-to-back double-headers with Campbellsville on Saturday (1 PM & 3 PM) and Sunday (12 PM & 2 PM).