Rockford, Mich. — Down the stretch, you find out who you are.
You find out if you can handle adversity… if you can adjust… if you can win when things aren't clean, crisp, or comfortable. Friday in Rockford checked every one of those boxes. A slick field, wind howling out to left, momentum swings, and at one point, a four-run hole.
And yet, when the dust settled, it was Aquinas standing tall—twice.
The Saints didn't just sweep Siena Heights. They earned it.
Aquinas 7, Siena Heights 4 (Game 1 — 7 innings)
It didn't start pretty. In fact, it started about as tough as it could.
Siena Heights jumped out early and built a 4-0 lead through two innings, taking advantage of early opportunities on a field that made footing and ball handling a challenge for both sides all afternoon.
Instead of folding, Aquinas responded.
Dylan Nguyen sparked the comeback in the third with a double, and Stephen Weinert followed with a run-scoring double to get the Saints on the board. Brodie Gregory added an RBI groundout, and just like that, the deficit was cut in half.
From there, the Saints stayed patient and kept applying pressure.
In the fifth, Austin Deller—running for Joey Hysell—created a spark with his speed, swiping second before Austin Alcumbrack delivered the game-tying RBI knock. That set the stage for a decisive sixth inning.
Landon Mueller ignited things with a triple, Nguyen followed with an RBI single, and the Saints kept the line moving. Jaden Bozek reached and created pressure on the bases, while Gregory came through again with a clutch RBI double. Nguyen later came around to score on a miscue, and suddenly AQ had full control at 7-4.
Nguyen finished with two hits and two RBIs, Weinert added two hits and an RBI, and Gregory drove in a pair. Alcumbrack chipped in an RBI, while Mueller's triple proved to be a turning point in the inning. Bozek added a hit and swiped a bag, and Hysell reached and helped set up key moments offensively.
On the mound, it was a tale of response. Sam Pollack weathered the early storm before Walker Brockie came in and completely flipped the game. Brockie delivered four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three to earn the win. Travis Weide closed it out with a clean seventh for his fifth save.
It wasn't perfect—but it was tough, connected, and exactly what winning baseball looks like this time of year.
Aquinas 13, Siena Heights 3 (Game 2 — 8 innings)
Game two had a different feel—same elements, same conditions—but a Saints team that looked ready to strike.
With the wind blowing hard out to left all afternoon, both teams took their swings, but the long ball stayed quiet… until the very end.
Aquinas built momentum through the middle innings with consistent production up and down the lineup. Will Kovl delivered a strong day with two hits and two RBIs, while Dylan Nguyen stayed hot with another multi-hit performance and run production.
Zachary Hayes came through in a big moment with a two-run double, and Dylan Nguyen added another RBI knock to keep the offense moving. Chase Robinson reached base, drove in a run, and later scored twice, while Joey Hysell added a hit and reached safely to keep innings alive.
Stephen Weinert continued his big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a key two-run single during the game-breaking rally. Brodie Gregory added a hit and scored, while Brayden Monroe contributed with a hit and solid defensive work before Jaden Bozek stepped in and added energy late, scoring and swiping a base.
Austin Deller provided a spark off the bench with a double and came around to score, setting the stage for the exclamation point.
After staying tight into the late innings, Aquinas broke the game wide open with an eight-run seventh, stringing together disciplined at-bats and capitalizing on every opportunity.
And then came the finish.
With the wind begging for it all day, Kaden Edwards delivered the only ball to leave the yard—a walk-off, two-run blast to center that ended the game and punctuated the sweep in style.
On the mound, Korbyn Russell battled through the early innings before Kaleb Mitchelson took control, tossing four scoreless frames to keep Siena Heights off the board when it mattered most. Hunter Doyle handled the eighth cleanly to wrap things up.
With the sweep, Aquinas improves to 21-21 overall and 14-8 in WHAC play, while Siena Heights falls to 12-29 and 8-14 in the conference.
Saints Snapshots
- Comeback Complete — AQ storms back from 4-0 down in Game 1, closing on a 7-0 run.
- Late-Inning Lightning — 8-run 7th inning in Game 2 turns a battle into a blowout.
- Nguyen on Repeat — 4 hits, 4 RBI, catalyst in both games.
- Weinert Drives It — 4 hits, 4 RBI, middle-order presence all day.
- Relief Matters — Brockie + Mitchelson combine for 8 IP, 0 ER.
- One Swing Ends It — Edwards walk-off HR… only long ball of a wind-blown day.
Coach's Comments
"I'm really proud of how this team competed today," said Head Coach Chris LaMange. "We didn't play perfect baseball, but we stayed together, kept working, and found ways to win. Coming back from four down shows what this group is made of. That's the kind of toughness you need right now."
Up Next
The Saints will stay home on Sunday—though with a much different forecast—when they host Rochester Christian in a WHAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
The games will be streamed on the AQSaints YouTube Network, with Joey Sutherlin on the call.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Baseball and all Saints athletics.
