Box Score Rockford, MI — No place for the faint of heart.
That's postseason baseball — and the WHAC Tournament is no exception. For fans, it's a white-knuckle ride that might require a dose of Alka-Seltzer just to get through. Those in attendance for this match-up probably needed an Alka-Seltzer bath when this game went final.
The action began Wednesday at Meijer Sports Complex with top-seeded UNOH edging out #8 Siena Heights in an 11-inning, back-and-forth battle, 7-6. That thriller set the stage for the nightcap: Aquinas vs. Madonna, with the winner moving on to face the Racers.
Aquinas 8, Madonna 7 (Walk-Off Win)
In a seesaw slugfest that embodied the intensity of postseason play, No. 4 seed Aquinas delivered a gut-punch to No. 5 Madonna, walking it off 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth to advance in the opening round of the WHAC Baseball Tournament.
Trailing 7-6 entering the final frame, the Saints came up clutch with their season on the line. With one out, JT LaMange doubled, and pinch runner Owen Graves scored the tying run on a scorching double down the left field line by Ramsey Bousseau. Moments later, Chase Robinson — 0-for-4 at that point — redeemed himself with a walk-off single to left, scoring Bousseau and sending the AQ dugout into a frenzy on the infield at West Michigan Sports Commission Field.
Bousseau was the undeniable star of the night, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. His ninth-inning double was his second extra-base hit of the contest, following a third-inning triple. The Saints pounded out 14 hits, with Dylan Nguyen (3-for-5, 2 RBI) and Stephen Weinert (2-for-3, RBI) also delivering big at-bats.
Madonna opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second, then added three more in the fifth — including a two-run shot — to take a 4-1 lead. But AQ responded. Luke LaCross tripled home two in the fourth, and RBI singles from Bousseau and Weinert in the fifth tied it at 4-4.
The Crusaders struck back in the sixth and added two in the eighth, building a 7-4 lead. Yet again, Aquinas refused to go quietly. Nguyen drove in two with a seventh-inning single, pulling the Saints within one — setting the table for the ninth-inning magic.
Travis Weide (3-1) earned the win in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout. Despite throwing a complete game, Madonna's A. Duley (8-3) was tagged with the loss, giving up all eight runs on 14 hits.
With the victory, Aquinas moves on in the WHAC Tournament and will face top-seeded UNOH next.
Inside the numbers
- There were 6 lead changes and four ties in this WHAC classic
- Ramsey Bousseau: 4-5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI's
- Stephen Weinert: 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, 1 RBI
- Dylan Nguyen: 3-5, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI's
- Luke LaCross: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI's
Coach's Comments
Head Coach Chris LaMange praised the grit and resilience of his squad:
"One of the more exciting games I've been a part of since I've been back at AQ. It was a great atmosphere with a great crowd, and our guys battled all nine innings in a really good ball game against a really good team. I'm proud of our guys for coming up big in the clutch."
Up Next
All eyes now turn to Meteorologist Matt Kirkwood, as the weather could become the most significant obstacle on Thursday. Already, the 10 AM and 2 PM games have been pushed to 1 PM and 4 PM, with further updates expected at 10 AM.
When play resumes, Aquinas will technically be the visiting team but will play at home against UNOH.
Thursday's Schedule at Meijer Sports Complex:
- 1 PM: Siena Heights vs. Madonna (loser eliminated)
- 4 PM: UNOH vs. Aquinas
- 7 PM: Loser of UNOH/Aquinas vs. Winner of Cleary/Lawrence Tech
All games at the Meijer Sports Complex will be on the AQ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AQAthleticsNet
Director of Athletic Communications Joey Sutherlin will pull double duty by performing the play-by-play and the live stats.
For live updates, recaps, and full coverage of AQ Athletics, visit www.aqsaints.com.
