Rockford, MI – What a ride. A crazy journey filled with more ups than downs, but
If you had said the Saints would make the WHAC Final Four in both the regular season and conference tournament after sitting at 1-14 on March 10, most would've called you delusional. But Coach Chris LaMange's squad dug deep and battled their way to a season they can be proud of. On Day 3 of the WHAC Tournament, the Saints faced a daunting doubleheader challenge: defeat Lawrence Tech at 10 a.m. and Indiana Tech at 2 p.m., or see their season come to an end.

Game 1: Aquinas 10, Lawrence Tech 4
In a must-win WHAC quarterfinal Friday morning, the Aquinas Saints exploded for nine runs in the sixth inning to beat Lawrence Tech 10-4 and stay alive in the conference tournament. The loss eliminated Lawrence Tech from championship contention.

Scoreless through the first five frames, Aquinas unleashed a relentless offensive outburst in the sixth—sending 14 batters to the plate and racking up eight hits, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch to seize a commanding 9-0 lead.

Chase Robinson cracked open the scoring with an RBI double down the left-field line, and the floodgates opened. Jon Popp and Dawson Shearer each drew bases-loaded walks, followed by JT LaMange's two-run single to center. Ramsey Bousseau and Stephen Weinert added RBI singles, while Dylan Nguyen notched one of his three hits to cap the scoring.

Nguyen led the charge at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Luke LaCross contributed two hits, two runs, and an RBI. LaMange, Robinson, and Weinert each tallied key RBIs during the inning.

Ethan Pequette was sharp on the mound, tossing 6.2 innings of three-hit ball without allowing an earned run. He struck out four and earned his third win of the season. Though Lawrence Tech capitalized on three Aquinas errors to score four unearned runs in the seventh, relievers Brendan Burch and Grant Martin shut the door.

Aquinas tacked on an insurance run in the ninth when Logan Snelling drove in LaCross with an RBI single following LaCross's one-out triple.

The win meant a short turnaround before facing a well-rested Indiana Tech squad later that afternoon.

Inside the Numbers (Game 1):
• Luke LaCross: 2-for-3, 3B, 2 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Dylan Nguyen: 3-for-5, SB, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Grant Martin: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Ethan Pequette: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 4 K – Winning Pitcher

Game 2: Indiana Tech 10, Aquinas 0
The Saints' remarkable season came to a close Friday afternoon with a 10-0 loss to Indiana Tech in a WHAC Tournament elimination game at the Meijer Sports Complex.

Despite recording 11 hits, Aquinas couldn't cash in, stranding 12 runners over nine innings. Opportunities slipped away early and often. Stephen Weinert and Luke LaCross each had two hits, while Grant Martin, Owen Graves, and Jon Popp added late hits, but Indiana Tech's pitching staff silenced any potential rally.

Aquinas struck out 13 times, including eight in the final four innings against reliever K. Plank, who tossed four dominant frames to earn the save.

Starting pitcher Aaron Moore went 3.1 innings, allowing six runs. Indiana Tech opened the scoring in the first and erupted for five more in the fourth to take control. The Saints used five pitchers in total, but Indiana Tech continued applying pressure with timely hits and smart baserunning.

While the Saints were unable to replicate the magic that fueled their late-season surge, they bowed out with pride. From a 1-14 start to a top-four finish in the WHAC, this was a season built on resilience, heart, and belief.

To Coach Chris LaMange and the 2025 AQ Baseball team—thank you for a season to remember. You've made the AQ community proud.

Inside the Numbers (Game 2):
• Stephen Weinert: 2-for-4
• Luke LaCross: 2-for-4
• Owen Graves & Jon Popp: pinch-hit singles in the 9th
• Blake Waibel: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – in relief

Coach's Comments:
Head Coach Chris LaMange on the day and the season as a whole:
"Very good win in the morning, as Ethan Pequette gave us a great performance on the mound in his last outing at AQ.  Had 13 baserunners in game two (Indiana Tech) and didn't score a run, which is really hard to do.  Very proud of our guys as we were right there with the top 3 teams in our conference, who are all very good teams.  To go 27-12 the last 2 months of the season in a tough, tough conference is something all of our guys, and especially our seniors, should be very proud of.  It was an excellent season as we continue to build towards winning a WHAC championship."

Up Next:
The Saints will take the field again Saturday when they host Concordia in a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM, with game two beginning roughly 30 minutes after game one concludes.

Aquinas will also continue to host the WHAC Conference Baseball Tournament on Saturday. Due to field changes, the games will be played at Cornerstone University and streamed live on YouTube.

WHAC Tournament Schedule (Saturday):
• Game 13: Indiana Tech vs Concordia – 12:00 PM
 Watch Game 13

• Game 14: UNOH vs Game 13 Winner – 4:00 PM
 Watch Game 14

• Game 15: If needed, replay of Game 14 – TBD