KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Adrian College NCBA Division III baseball team opened the 2026-27 season by splitting a doubleheader against Western Michigan University on Saturday. The Bulldogs rallied for a 9-6 victory in Game 1 before falling by the same score in Game 2.
Game 1: Adrian 9, Western Michigan 6
The Bulldogs erased an early two-run deficit and used a four-run sixth inning to secure the season-opening victory.
Western Michigan scored once in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. Adrian answered in the third after Ivan Mata and Connor Begley drew walks. Mata scored when Adam Lashaway reached on an error before Nate Lindner brought home Begley with an RBI groundout to tie the game.
The Bulldogs took the lead in the fourth inning. Bryan Covel and Carson Meister reached on errors before Tate Wyse was hit by a pitch. Lashaway followed with a two-out, bases-clearing double to center field, giving Adrian a 5-2 advantage.
After Western Michigan trimmed the lead to 5-3 in the fifth, the Bulldogs broke the game open with four runs in the sixth. Wyse was hit by a pitch, Mata singled and Lashaway added another hit to load the bases. Lindner drove in two runs with a double to right field before Carson Boike followed with a two-run single to center, extending the lead to 9-3.
Western Michigan scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Josh Cornett worked a scoreless seventh inning to close out the victory. Cornett allowed one hit and ended the game with a strikeout.
Lashaway led the Bulldogs at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Lindner drove in three runs, while Boike added two RBIs. Justin Bland pitched two scoreless innings in relief and struck out three as Adrian's pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts.
Game 2: Western Michigan 9, Adrian 6
Adrian overcame another early deficit and built a three-run lead, but Western Michigan scored six unanswered runs to earn the doubleheader split.
Western Michigan scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the second after Ellis Threadcraft reached on an error and stole second and third. Pedro Rivera drove him home with an RBI single before McCauley White added an RBI single to score Cornett. Rivera later scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3-3.
Adrian moved in front with another three-run inning in the fourth. Cornett and Rivera opened the rally with singles before White reached on an error. Cornett scored on a wild pitch, Rivera came home on an RBI groundout from Landon Agosta and White scored on another wild pitch to give the Bulldogs a 6-3 lead.
Western Michigan answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth before scoring four times in the fifth to take a 9-6 advantage.
The Bulldogs put runners on base in each of the final two innings but were unable to complete the comeback. Cornett singled in the sixth before White drew a walk and stole third. Blake Moran added a leadoff single in the seventh and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt from Sam Sipe, but a line-drive double play ended the game.
Cornett finished 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored, while Rivera went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. White added a hit, an RBI, a run scored, a walk and a stolen base. Ivan Mata threw a scoreless sixth inning and recorded one strikeout.
The Bulldogs will return home on Saturday, Sept. 19, for a doubleheader against John Carroll University at Nicolay Field. Game 1 is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by Game 2 at 1:30 p.m.
