9
Purdue Northwest PNW 15-28
12
Winner Wayne St. (Mich.) WSU 36-13
Purdue Northwest PNW
15-28
9
Final
12
Wayne St. (Mich.) WSU
36-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Purdue Northwest PNW 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 9 11 2
Wayne St. (Mich.) WSU 2 0 2 7 0 1 0 0 X 12 11 1

W: Gabe Nazelli (5-1) L: Cash, Ben (0-7) S: Rocco Cardinale (7)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Battles but Falls to Wayne State in GLIAC Tournament

The Pride baseball team took on Wayne State University this Thursday in an elimination game of the GLIAC Tournament where the Pride would fall by a score of 12-9, bringing the 2026 season to a close.

The Basics
  • Records: Purdue Northwest (15-28), Wayne State (36-13)
  • Location: Utica, Michigan
  • GLIAC Tournament game.
The Breakdown
Game 1: L (12-9) - 9 Innings
  • The Pride offense came alive early, totaling 11 hits and scoring in seven different innings. Owen Winters (Kouts, Ind./Kouts) led the way with a 3-for-5 performance that included a double, a home run, and an RBI while scoring three runs. Denham Kozy (Munster, Ind./Munster) finished with two hits, including a two-run home run in the first inning, while Drew Kosteba (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) added two hits, including an RBI triple.
  • Billy Chidsey (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) delivered a strong performance, going 2-for-3 with a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored while also drawing two walks. Brett Bounds (Morris, Ill./Morris Community) added two hits and two RBIs, while Brayden Barrett (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) drove in a run and reached base twice.
  • Ben Cash (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) got the start on the mound, allowing seven runs (four earned) over 3.1 innings while striking out four. Jacob Chajet (Mundelein, Ill./Carmel Catholic) followed in relief, allowing four unearned runs, while Joey DalPonte (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) pitched 2.0 innings and Dylan McGee (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) closed out the game with 2.0 scoreless innings and three strikeouts.
  • Purdue Northwest jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Kozy launched a two-run home run to left field.
  • Wayne State answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run home run from Drew Hill to tie the game at 2-2.
  • The Pride regained the lead in the second inning after Owen Winters (Kouts, Ind./Kouts) doubled and later scored on an RBI single from Brett Bounds (Morris, Ill./Morris Community). Barrett later brought home another run with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 4-2.
  • Wayne State responded again in the third inning with back-to-back solo home runs to cut the deficit to 5-4. Purdue Northwest added another run in the fourth inning when Kosteba tripled to left center, scoring Kozy and making it 6-4.
  • The game shifted in the bottom of the fourth inning when Wayne State erupted for seven runs. After a throwing error allowed three unearned runs to score, Ty Garza delivered a three-run home run to push the Warriors ahead 11-6.
  • The Pride continued to battle offensively, as Winters hit a solo home run in the fifth inning before Purdue Northwest added another run in the sixth on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 12-8.
  • Chidsey added a solo home run in the eighth inning to bring the Pride within three runs, but Purdue Northwest was unable to generate a rally in the ninth as Wayne State secured the 12-9 victory.
Up Next
The 2026 season comes to a close for the Pride following their appearance in the GLIAC Tournament.
 
 
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