MIDDLETOWN, CT. – The Wesleyan baseball team sees their season end Sunday at Dresser Diamond, falling in game 3 of a best-of-three series with the Bowdoin Polar Bears. After taking game 1 Saturday early afternoon, the Cards fell in two straight to end their season. Wesleyan held a 2-0 lead after two innings of play and a 3-2 lead heading into the 8^th, but a two-run 8^th and six-run 9^th propelled the Polar Bears back in front to a comfortable lead which they would hold to advance to the semifinals of the NESCAC Tournament. Bowdoin keeps their season alive, improving to 18-14 while Wesleyan ends their season 17-19.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:

• Alex Deutsch '25 worked out of trouble in the top of the first, getting the ground ball he needed to hold the Polar Bears without an opening inning run. Wesleyan then came up and gave him some immediate offensive help. James Marsden '26 worked a walk, followed by a Kyle Sylvester '22 single and the Cards had runners on the corners with one down. They then ran a first and third play to perfection, with Marsden running home on the throw to second while Sylvester was able to get there safely, 1-0 Wes. Wesleyan added one more in the 2^nd on an RBI-double by Jimmy Clifford '23 that scored Jack Nally '24, 2-0 Wes
• The Polar Bears got on the board in the 3^rd inning. Deutsch set down the first two batters, but they then put together two extra-base hits, including an RBI-triple that got them on the board at 2-1. Bowdoin added another in the 5^th to even the game on a deep fly from Ben McKenzie and the game moved to the 6^th at two apiece
• Deutsch continued his impressive outing with a quick top of the 6^th and the Cardinals' bats rewarded him a run in the bottom half. Tyler Cosgrove '25 got it started with a single, followed by a Luke LaSaracina '25 walk. Nally then sent a ball towards the hole on the right side, but was knocked down by the Polar Bears 2^nd baseman on the outfield grass. Cosgrove didn't hesitate, rounding third and sliding in underneath the tag to give Wesleyan a 3-2 lead going into the 7^th
•  Bowdoin then threatened in the top of the 8^th, getting the first three runners on to load the bases with nobody out. Deutsch then forced a ground out towards Evan Diaz '25 at 3^rd and he went home to get the force, but the runner ran over the catcher to cause the batter to be out as well. Wesleyan looked as though they caught a huge break, but the Polar Bears continued to hit, sending a two-out two-run single to center field that gave them their first lead of the game at 4-3
• Bowdoin's offense carried the momentum of their 8^th inning into the 9^th, putting together a monstrous final frame to give them breathing room heading into the home half of the inning. The Polar Bears put together a three-hit, six-run inning that gave them some breathing room going into the 9^th. Wesleyan had one last chance down seven. After the first two Cardinals were retired, Sylvester sent one over the left field fence in what would be his final at-bat as a Cardinal, trimming the lead to 10-4. The next batter would be retired and Bowdoin came away with a 10-4 win in game three to secure a spot in the next round

NOTES:

• Deutsch (7.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K's) held the Polar Bears to just two runs through seven innings on the mound
• Sylvester (3-for-5, HR, R, RBI) finished his Cardinals' career with a home run in his final at-bat. Nally (3-for-4, R, RBI) joins him with a three-hit performance
• The Cardinals outhit the Polar Bears 12-11