Fort Wayne, Ind. — While the Saints Baseball team left Florida with a sour taste in their mouth, the level of talent on this roster never changed. What Aquinas needed as the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference schedule opened Saturday was timely hitting and a little grit.
Facing a strong Indiana Tech squad — a team many expect to be near the top of the WHAC standings — the Saints battled through a challenging afternoon before earning an important split on the road.
Indiana Tech took the opener, but Aquinas responded with a tough one-run victory in Game 2, showing the kind of resilience that will be necessary during the long conference grind.
Indiana Tech 10, Aquinas 4 (Game 1)
The Saints showed flashes offensively in the opener but were ultimately unable to overcome a big third inning from Indiana Tech.
After two scoreless frames to start the afternoon, the Warriors erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third inning to seize early control of the game.
Aquinas answered in the fourth inning with its best offensive stretch of the game. Joey Hysell started the rally with a single before Chase Robinson worked a walk. Kasy Shadduck followed with another free pass to load the bases.
JT LaMange delivered the first blow, lining an RBI single up the middle to get the Saints on the board. Moments later, Eric Bryce drilled a ball into the gap for a two-run single that trimmed the deficit. Brodie Gregory followed with an RBI groundout to cap the inning as Aquinas closed within 5-4.
Despite the rally, Indiana Tech answered with runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to regain control of the game.
The Saints finished with seven hits, including two each from Shadduck and Gregory, while Bryce drove in two runs to pace the offense.
On the mound, Sam Pollack took the loss after working four innings. Kaleb Mitchelson and Hunter Doyle provided relief as the Saints tried to keep the game within reach.
Aquinas 4, Indiana Tech 3 (Game 2)
If the opener was frustrating, the nightcap was exactly the type of game Aquinas hopes will define its conference season.
The Saints struck first in the opening inning when Joey Hysell reached base and later scored on an RBI single from Kasy Shadduck.
Indiana Tech answered with a run of its own in the first inning and later grabbed a 3-2 lead after a solo home run in the fourth and an unearned run in the fifth.
But the Saints refused to go quietly.
In the seventh inning, Aquinas manufactured the decisive rally the old-fashioned way — with pressure and aggressive baserunning.
Stephen Weinert reached base and moved into scoring position before Austin Deller entered as a pinch runner. Moments later, Deller took off for second base, forcing a rushed throw that allowed Weinert to break for home and score the tying run.
The Saints kept the pressure on. With the Indiana Tech defense scrambling, Chase Robinson put the ball in play and another Warrior miscue allowed Deller to cross the plate with the go-ahead run.
Remarkably, Aquinas scored the two decisive runs without recording a hit in the inning, turning defensive mistakes and aggressive baserunning into the difference in the game.
Starter Aaron Moore battled through 4.2 innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Walker Brockie delivered a gritty outing in relief, holding Indiana Tech scoreless over the next 3.1 innings while striking out four.
With the tying run threatening in the ninth, Travis Weide entered and shut the door to secure the victory and earn his third save of the season.
Hysell led the Saints with three hits, while Weinert and Shadduck contributed key offensive moments as Aquinas secured the 4-3 victory.
The win allowed Aquinas to earn a split in the conference-opening doubleheader and move to 6-13 overall and 1-1 in WHAC play.
Saints Snapshots
• Split to Start WHAC Play — Aquinas opened conference action by earning a road split against a strong Indiana Tech team expected to contend in the WHAC.
• Manufactured Runs — The Saints scored the two decisive runs in the seventh inning of Game 2 without recording a hit, using aggressive baserunning to force defensive mistakes.
• Hysell's Big Day — Joey Hysell collected four hits across the doubleheader and played a key role in both Aquinas rallies.
• Bullpen Shines — Walker Brockie and Travis Weide combined for 4.1 scoreless innings to secure the Game 2 victory.
• Conference Grit — After dropping the opener, the Saints responded with a one-run victory on the road, the type of performance needed to compete for a WHAC championship.
Coach's Comments
Head Coach Chris LaMange said the Saints' response in Game 2 showed the type of toughness required to compete in the WHAC.
"That was a big win in Game 2 to get the split against a very good Indiana Tech team on their field," LaMange said. "Aaron Moore, Walker Brockie, and Travis Weide gave us a gritty performance on the mound and kept us in the game. We were able to take advantage of a couple mistakes they made and found a way to win a one-run game. Learning how to win those tight games is the key to competing for a conference championship."
Up Next
Following the split in Indiana, the Saints Baseball team will get a quick catnap before returning to action Sunday in Ohio against the Lourdes Gray Wolves.
The doubleheader originally scheduled for the Meijer Sports Complex has been moved in an effort to avoid a potential rain and snow game in West Michigan.
Sunday's games are now scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Baseball and all Saints athletics.
