The Wayne State University baseball team was eliminated from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament on May 9 after a dramatic walk-off win over Parkside followed by a defeat to Davenport at UWM Field.
The outcome concludes Wayne State’s run in the conference tournament, with attention now turning to potential NCAA postseason play. The Warriors, who compete in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and at the NCAA Division II level, finished with an overall record of 37-14 for the season, according to the official website.
In game one against Parkside, Wayne State overcame multiple deficits in a high-scoring contest that saw both teams combine for 19 runs and 27 hits. After falling behind early, the Warriors rallied with four runs in the third inning to take their first lead. Key performances included Bennett Hitzelberger’s run-scoring single and Drew Hill’s two-run hit. Despite several lead changes throughout regulation and extra innings, Wayne State secured a 10-9 victory when Owen Tuccinardi scored on a fielder’s choice and error in the tenth inning.
Six pitchers contributed for Wayne State during this matchup. Will Lowery earned his eighth win of the season as he was on the mound when his team scored its final run.
In game two against Davenport, Wayne State fell behind early following home runs by their opponent. The Panthers built an early lead that continued to grow through late innings despite RBI singles from Tony Hatzigeorgiou and Rhett Roeser for Wayne State. Seven pitchers appeared for Wayne State during this contest; Nick Baker took his first loss of the year after starting on short rest.
Wayne State plays its home games in Detroit, Michigan under their nickname ‘Warriors’ with ‘W the Warrior’ as mascot, according to information provided by the official website. The program previously captured a GLIAC Tournament title in 2010.
Looking ahead, Wayne State awaits Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 10 p.m., where they are ranked second in Wednesday’s Midwest Region rankings. The top two seeds will each host regional tournaments scheduled from May 14 through May 17.
