Baseball Makes Clutch Plays to Advance in WHAC Tournament
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
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0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | X | 5 | 7 | 1 |
(Grand Rapids, MI)-- After rain pushed their scheduled game back a day, the Cleary Cougar baseball team were able to secure a 5-2 WHAC Tournament win over the 4-seed Aquinas College Saints Thursday afternoon in Grand Rapids.
Cleary took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, when Ryan Rose reached first on an error by Aquinas' catcher, allowing Austin Gates to score from second to make it 1-0. Aquinas would answer in the top of the next inning, on a double down the right field line, to make it 1-1. Both starting pitchers would settle in, and the score would remain 1-1 until the seventh. Conner Boone would start the rally with a leadoff single, and advanced tosecond on a sacrifice bunt by Braylon Hughes. Brendan Seman and Brice Wesley would draw walks later in the inning to load the bases, and Landon Kempainen would bring Boone home when he drew a bases loaded walk to give Cleary a 2-1 lead.
In the eighth, Aquinas would tie the game on an infield single and error with two outs, ending starting pitcher Brendan Seman's day, and bringing in closer Josh Lucier. Lucier would get out og the jam with a strikeout, setting up a big bottom of the eighth inning. Ryan Rose and Jake VanderHaar each drew walks to open the inning to bring up Conner Boone. Boone would show bunt to draw the defense in before pulling his bat back and slapping a single up the middle to give Cleary back the lead. A bunt from Braylon Hughes bunt resulted in an infield single that extended the Cougar lead to 4-2. Cleary would load the bases, keeping the pressure on, and Landon Kempainen would draw his second bases loaded walk of the game, making it 5-2.
That would be all Josh Lucier needed, as his defense helped him go 1-2-3 in the ninth to secure the victory.
The win was a program record 30th on the season, and was the first postseason victory since the USCAA Small College World Series in 2017-18.
Brendan Seman and Conner Boone each had 2 hits for the Cougars. Brendan Seman threwa no-decision with 8 strikeouts, 2 runs (1 earned) in 7.2 innings. Josh Lucier picked up his 4th of the season.
Cleary advances in the winner's bracket, and will play the Cornerstone Golden Eagles on Friday, May 1 in the WHAC quarterfinals. First pitch will take place at the Meijer Sports Complex at 12:00 PM.