EASTLAKE, Ohio – The Adrian College baseball team faced Endicott College once again on Monday night in an elimination game with a trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship Series on the line. The No. 7-seeded Bulldogs saw their historic season come to an end with a 4-2 loss to the No. 6-seeded Gulls.
Endicott struck first with an RBI single in the opening inning to take an early 1-0 lead. The Gulls added to their advantage in the fifth inning with a two-run single, extending the lead to 3-0. Endicott tacked on another run in the seventh inning to make it a 4-0 contest.
The Bulldogs were held scoreless until their final at-bat in the bottom of the ninth. Christian Oliver provided a late spark with a two-run home run to score Nic Bruder and cut the deficit in half, but Adrian's rally would fall short as Endicott secured the 4-2 victory.
Adrian managed five hits in the game, led by Oliver and Gabe Jones, who each recorded two hits. Bruder added the Bulldogs' other hit of the evening.
Anthony Petrillo made the start on the mound for Adrian, tossing 2.2 innings while allowing one run on three hits. Carson Bruning followed with 1.1 innings of relief before Cooper Tracy contributed 2.1 innings. Ben Bates closed out the final 2.2 innings for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs conclude the 2026 season with a 40-14 overall record, setting a new program record for wins in a season. Adrian captured multiple championships throughout its memorable campaign, including the MIAA Regular Season Championship, MIAA Tournament Championship, NCAA Regional Championship, and NCAA Super Regional Championship.
The 2026 season also marked the third NCAA Division III College World Series appearance in program history and the deepest postseason run the Bulldogs have ever achieved, advancing to the Bracket Championship and forcing a winner-take-all second game against Endicott.
While the season ended just short of the program's ultimate goal, Adrian established itself among the nation's elite and added another historic chapter to Bulldog baseball. The Bulldogs will return to the diamond in 2027 looking to build on one of the most successful seasons in program history.
