Sylvania, Ohio — One of the great things about college athletics — and sports in general — is how quickly momentum can change. For the Aquinas baseball team, that shift began during a practice just before the start of Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play, when Head Coach Chris LaMange and his staff challenged the Saints to raise their level offensively.

While the conference-opening split with Indiana Tech hinted that the bats might be waking up, Sunday's doubleheader in Ohio confirmed it in emphatic fashion. Aquinas erupted for 28 runs across the two games, sweeping Lourdes behind a relentless offensive attack.

The breakout performance could not have come at a better time as the Saints continue to settle into the grind of WHAC play.

Game 1 — Aquinas 14, Lourdes 6

The Saints wasted little time getting the offense rolling in the opener, erupting for six runs in the second inning to seize control of the game.

JT LaMange started the rally with a single before Brodie Gregory followed with a base hit of his own. Kaden Edwards plated the first run with an RBI groundout, setting the stage for Stephen Weinert, who delivered an RBI single to extend the lead.

Moments later, Joey Hysell launched a towering three-run home run that scored Weinert and Dylan Nguyen and gave Aquinas a commanding 5–0 advantage. Chase Robinson then doubled and came around to score when Kasy Shadduck lined an RBI single to cap the six-run outburst.

Aquinas continued to build the lead in the third inning when Nguyen ripped a two-run double to push the margin to 8–0. Eric Bryce added another RBI in the fourth before the Saints put the game away in the fifth.

In that inning, Bryce was hit by a pitch to force in a run before Austin Alcumbrack worked a bases-loaded walk to bring in another. Weinert then delivered the biggest swing of the frame, blasting a bases-clearing triple into the gap that stretched the Saints' advantage to 14–3.

The Aquinas offense finished with 14 hits in the opener. Hysell led the charge with a perfect 4-for-4 performance that included a home run, two doubles, and three RBIs. Weinert added two hits and four RBIs, while Nguyen contributed two hits and two RBIs. Robinson, Shadduck, Gregory, Bryce, and LaMange all recorded hits as the Saints lineup kept the pressure on throughout the afternoon.

On the mound, Korbyn Russell earned the victory with four strong innings, striking out five. Hudson Lubbers followed with two innings in relief before Carson Winas closed out the game in the seventh.

Game 2 — Aquinas 14, Lourdes 3

If the Saints offense was impressive in game one, it was downright relentless in the nightcap.

After a quiet first inning, Aquinas again broke the game open in the second. Eric Bryce and Brodie Gregory reached base to set the table before Kaden Edwards drove in the first run. Weinert followed with an RBI single, and the Saints lineup kept the pressure on.

Joey Hysell once again delivered the big swing of the inning, blasting a three-run home run that brought home Weinert and Dylan Nguyen and quickly put Aquinas in firm control. Robinson doubled later in the inning and scored when Shadduck knocked in another run to cap a six-run frame.

The Saints continued to pile on throughout the afternoon. Nguyen ripped a two-run double in the third inning, Bryce delivered an RBI single in the fourth, and Weinert provided another highlight swing in the fifth with a bases-clearing triple that plated three more runs.

Hysell again powered the offense with four hits and three RBIs. Weinert added two hits and four RBIs, while Nguyen drove in three runs. Gregory, Bryce, Shadduck, LaMange, and Robinson all contributed to another 14-run offensive performance.

On the mound, Ethan Bowen delivered a strong outing to earn the win, working five innings while allowing just one run and striking out four. Aaron Hileman handled the sixth inning before Brendan Burch closed out the victory in the seventh to secure the sweep.

With the two victories, Aquinas improved to 8–13 overall and 3–1 in WHAC play, carrying strong momentum into the next stretch of conference competition.

Saints Snapshots

• The Saints offense officially woke up in Ohio. Aquinas erupted for 28 runs across the doubleheader, turning a conference road trip into an offensive showcase.

• Joey Hysell delivered one of the biggest offensive days of the season. The Saints slugger powered the lineup with multiple extra-base hits and timely RBIs throughout the afternoon.

• Stephen Weinert provided the biggest momentum swings of the day. His bases-clearing triples in both games helped break things open for Aquinas.

• The line-up depth showed up from top to bottom. Dylan Nguyen, Brodie Gregory, Eric Bryce, Chase Robinson, and Kasy Shadduck all contributed key hits as the Saints offense kept the pressure on all day.

• The pitching staff quietly sealed the sweep. Korbyn Russell and Ethan Bowen set the tone while the bullpen combination of Hudson Lubbers, Aaron Hileman, Carson Winas, and Brendan Burch finished the job.

Coach's Comments

Head Coach Chris LaMange said the Saints showed the toughness and resilience needed to compete in the WHAC, especially during a demanding stretch of games away from home.

"That was a big way for us to finish our first WHAC weekend with the sweep, especially against a very good Indiana Tech team on their field," LaMange said. "Our pitching once again led the way. On a day with 25-mile-per-hour winds blowing straight out, our staff did a great job keeping the ball in the park and limiting damage. To allow just nine runs in a doubleheader in those conditions is an excellent day on the mound. Aaron Moore, Walker Brockie, and Travis Weide all gave us gritty performances and kept us in position to win."

"It was also nice to see our bats starting to wake up. We were able to take advantage of a few mistakes and find ways to push runs across, which is what you need to do in tight conference games. Learning how to win those one-run games is a big part of competing for a WHAC championship."

"I'm really happy with the momentum we're building right now. Finishing a stretch of 13 games in 11 days on the road with three straight wins says a lot about this group. It'll be nice to finally get a week to rest up and get ready to play at home next weekend."

Up Next

AQ will now enjoy a much-needed week without games to practice, recover, and fine-tune before returning to conference play. The Saints will travel to Southfield next Saturday for a doubleheader with Lawrence Tech, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and game two slated for 3:00 p.m.

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