The 2026 Holy Cross Crusaders concluded their season with a 15-1 defeat to UC Santa Barbara in the Austin Regional final, finishing the year at 25-30.
Back-to-Back Patriot League Triumphs
The run to the regional final was built on a historic double-digit stretch of Patriot League Tournament championships, the first back-to-back titles in program history, which propelled the team into the national spotlight.
Junior third baseman Ryan Grundy provided the Crusaders’ lone power surge, launching a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning off Gauchos starter Jackson Flora, while sophomore Xavier Esquer sparked the offense with a 4-for-5 performance that included three RBI and a run scored.
On the mound, Jackson Flora worked 7.2 innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run, but the effort was undone by Jake Lenahan, who surrendered six earned runs over six innings to take the loss.
Santa Barbara struck first with a bases-loaded walk in the third, then exploded for nine runs in the seventh to open a 12-1 lead; the Gauchos added two more in the eighth and a final tally in the ninth to seal a 15-1 victory.