Baseball’s Memorable Season Concludes in WHAC Elimination Round

(Grand Rapids, MI) -- The Cleary Cougars Baseball team hit the field for the final time this season as they took on the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils this afternoon in the elimination bracket of the WHAC Tournament. 

Lawrence Tech came out striking right away, taking a 3-0 lead after the first inning. The Cougars managed to get runs back in the bottom of the inning when Brendan Seman delivered a double down the left field line, scoring Gavin Kempainen and Conner Boone to make it a one-run deficit. Lawrence Tech increased the lead to 4-2 in the top of the second with a solo home run. They added one more insurance run in the fourth, increasing their lead over the Cougars to 5-2. The Cougars threatened to score runs in the sixth as they managed to get the bases loaded with two outs, but were unable to scratch any runs across. They threatened once again in the eighth with two runners on and two outs, but no clutch hits would come through for the Cougars. The Blue Devils increased their lead to 6-2 in the top of the ninth, scoring on a balk. Looking for a late rally, Juan Munoz had a pinch-hit walk, and Gavin Kempainen singled to kick off the bottom of the ninth. The Cougars went down in order from there and would get sent home with a 6-2 loss. 

Haden Fisk got the start for the Cougars, finishing with a stat line of 6.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R (4 ER), 1 BB, and 5 SO. Braylon Hughes finished 3-4 at the plate.

The Cougars' loss officially ends their historic season, finishing 23-27 overall after making it to the WHAC Conference Postseason Tournament for the first time in program history.