Adrian, Mich. – DePauw's season came to an end in the final game of the NCAA Division III regional as the third-seed Tigers fell to second-seed Adrian by a 13-4 score. The Tigers finished the season at 30-15, while the Bulldogs improved to 35-11 and advances to the super regional round.
DePauw got out to a quick start as
Aidan Howard led off the game with a solo homer to right.
Adrian evened the count in the second with Brendan Willadsen leading off with a triple and scoring on a wild pitch.
The Tigers regained the lead in the third as
Zach O'Connell led off with a walk, stole second and came home on
Nolan Osterling's double.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the contest in the bottom of the third with Jack Boike singling with one out and moving to second on Nic Bruder's bunt single. Rolando Jimenez doubled to right center with Boike and Bruder scoring to give the hosts a 3-2 advantage.
DePauw regained the lead again with two in the fifth as O'Connell doubled with one out and scored on
Louis Florida's double. Florida moved to third on a wild pitch and crossed on Osterling's two-out single.
Adrian answered in the sixth as Gabe Jones led off by being hit by a pitch before Willadsen reached on an error of his sacrifice bunt. The runners moved up on a wild pitch before Casey Finn, Jake Burns and Aiden Melvin each delivered RBI singles. Boike plated Burns with a double and Bruder scored Melvin and Boike with a base hit. Bruder scored on Jimenez's single to make it 10-4.
Boike singled to lead off the eighth and stole second before Bruder drove him in with a double. Bruder advanced to third on Jimenez's sacrifice bunt and scored when Jones reached on a fielder's choice. After Willadsen reached on a fielder's choice that forced Jones at second, Jaxon McGuigan came through with a run-scoring double.
Howard and Osterling each had two of DePauw's nine hits.
Grady Johnson's single in the seventh was his 74th of the season and broke the program record held by Javair Gillett in 2001. Howard tied Mike Ottsen's program record of 20 doubles set in 1986.
Bruder, Burns and Boike each had three of Adrian's 15 hits with Jimenez adding two.
Charlie Hawk dropped to 3-1 with the relief loss. Ben Bates improved to 3-1.
