Baseball falls in extra innings to Adrian (Mich.) despite Morris' dramatic 3-run home run on second day of NCAA III Regionals

Baseball falls in extra innings to Adrian (Mich.) despite Morris' dramatic 3-run home run on second day of NCAA III Regionals
Photos Box Score
May 17, 2025

ADRIAN, Mich. — Ohio Northern was eliminated 13-9 in an extra-inning thriller by host Adrian (Mich.) in Game 3 of the NCAA III Adrian Regional Tournament on a chilly and cloudy Saturday.

| NCAA III Regionals site |

The Basics

  • Records: Ohio Northern (29-14 Overall), Adrian (29-17 Overall).
  • Venue: Nicolay Field - Adrian, Mich.

Game Highlights

  • Sophomore Devon Morris (Archbold) crushed a three-run home run to right field in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 9-9 and send it into extra innings.
  • Northern scored twice in the second inning and once in the third, but the Bulldogs would get unearned runs in the third, fifth and sixth frames to leave the game tied at 3-3 entering the seventh.
  • Adrian sent 11 batters to the plate in a 5-run seventh to grab an 8-3 lead.
  • ONU kept battling with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to climb within 8-6.
  • AC got another unearned run in the top of the ninth to make it 9-6.
  • In the 10th, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs, then got a walk and two consecutive singles to plate four runs and take a 13-9 lead.
  • Ohio Northern out-hit Adrian 14-13, but committed five errors that led to four unearned runs in the contest.
  • Morris was 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI on the day.
  • Sophomore Kyler Lapp (Hall, Ill.) was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
  • Senior Sam Thombs (Commerce Township, Mich./Lutheran) allowed just two earned runs in 6.1 innings of work on the hill.

Notables

  • Ohio Northern was the Regionals #3 seed and is ranked No. 34 nationally in the NCAA's NPI.
  • Adrian was the #4 seed and is ranked No. 74.
  • Morris finished the tournament going 6-for-10 with five runs scored and six RBI.
  • This was ONU's first appearance in the NCAA III Tournament since 1995 and its tenth overall.
  • The Polar Bears now have a 13-21 overall record in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Ohio Northern won the Regional title and advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series in 1974 as a Division III member.
  • Ohio Northern now leads the all-time series with the Tigers by 40-21 margin.
  • In 42 games this season, senior Elliott Veenstra (Findlay/Liberty-Benton) led the Polar Bears with a .347 batting average, going 43-for-124 with 28 RBI.
  • Morris led the squad with nine home runs this season.
  • Junior Chase Armstrong (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) had seven home runs and a team-best 41 RBI this season.
  • Ohio Northern is in its 120th season of baseball. The Polar Bears are 1495-1165-20 all-time, a winning percentage of .562.
  • 14th-year head coach Gene Stechschulte is now 307-220 at Ohio Northern for a winning percentage of .583.

Up Next

  • Season complete.