Millington, Tenn. — After a strong opening day at USA Stadium, Sunday served as a reminder that early-season baseball has a way of humbling you in a hurry. The 2026 Aquinas baseball team returned to the field looking to complete a series sweep of Brescia, but instead ran into a pair of games where the Saints simply didn't help themselves. Between struggles to consistently find the strike zone, missed opportunities with runners on base, and costly baserunning mistakes, AQ dropped both ends of the Sunday doubleheader.
Brescia 5, Aquinas 2 (Game 1)
The opener was a frustrating one for the Saints, who repeatedly put pressure on Brescia pitching but could not deliver the timely swing needed to flip the game. Aquinas scattered hits throughout the lineup and consistently had traffic on the bases, yet left multiple runners stranded in scoring position as the game wore on.
AQ broke through in the fourth inning by manufacturing a run without the benefit of an extra-base hit. After Kasy Shadduck worked a walk and Eric Bryce followed with a single, Kaden Edwards laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. JT LaMange followed with a sacrifice fly to left to plate the tying run and even the game at 1–1.
Brescia responded in the fifth, capitalizing on free bases and extended innings. A walk and a hit batter set the table, and a throwing error allowed the go-ahead run to score. Moments later, a three-run home run quickly turned a tight game into a four-run deficit.
The Saints continued to battle late. In the seventh, Dylan Nguyen doubled into the left-field corner and Joey Hysell followed with an RBI single to trim the margin to 5–2. However, with runners still aboard and momentum beginning to shift, Aquinas was unable to come up with another big hit, and the rally stalled.
On the mound, AQ received solid early work, but walks and hit batters in the middle innings proved costly. Despite putting together quality at-bats and out-hitting Brescia, the Saints were unable to overcome missed opportunities in key moments.
Brescia 10, Aquinas 0 (Game 2)
The nightcap unraveled quickly, as command issues on the mound and missed execution offensively combined to put Aquinas in an early hole. The Saints showed immediate life in the opening inning when Ramsey Bousseau led off with a triple, but momentum stalled on the very next play. Bousseau was injured in a collision at the plate with the catcher while attempting to score and was forced to leave the game, a tough blow both on the scoreboard and in the dugout.
Brescia took advantage in the middle innings, repeatedly cashing in free bases. Walks, hit batters, and extended counts allowed the Bearcats to build innings without needing sustained rallies, highlighted by big frames in the fourth and fifth that put the game out of reach.
Offensively, Aquinas continued to put runners on base but could not string together quality at-bats. The Saints were also hurt by poor baserunning, as multiple runners were erased on the bases, halting any chance of building momentum. Despite making contact and finding holes early, AQ never mounted a serious scoring threat.
The bullpen provided brief bright spots late, but the damage had already been done as Brescia pulled away to earn the shutout and split the four-game series.
Inside the Numbers
• Aquinas issued double-digit free bases on the day through walks and hit batters
• The Saints left multiple runners on base in both games, including several in scoring position in Game 1
• AQ was unable to manage an extra-base hit after Ramsey Bousseau's leadoff triple in Game 2
• Costly baserunning mistakes erased scoring opportunities in the nightcap
• Aquinas finishes the weekend 2–2 after four games at USA Stadium
Coach's Comments
Head Coach Chris LaMange stressed perspective while also pointing to areas that must improve moving forward:
"We talked about it after the games — we can't get too high after two wins and we can't get too low after two losses," LaMange said. "There's a lot to like about this group, but today we didn't help ourselves. We gave away too many free bases on the mound, didn't execute in big spots offensively, and made some mistakes on the bases. Those are all fixable things, and we'll get them cleaned up before WHAC play begins."
Up Next
The Saints will now turn their focus toward sharpening the details as they continue non-conference play. Aquinas will return to action on February 21, traveling back to Tennessee for a match-up with Cumberland as the Saints continue to build toward the start of WHAC play. Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, full coverage, and postgame recaps from around Aquinas Athletics.
