A Historic Run Ends
The final of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament turned into a showcase of resilience for the SIUE Cougars, who fell 7‑5 to the Little Rock Trojans in a game that swung back and forth until the last inning.
Despite outhitting the Trojans 12‑9, the Cougars stranded ten baserunners, a missed opportunity that proved costly as Little Rock capitalized on timely hits and a few timely rallies.
Nico Baumbach ignited the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning, only for Sean Kang to answer with a timely single that tied the game. Daniel Gierer’s double soon after put SIUE ahead 3‑1, but the lead evaporated when Cooper Chaplain launched a two‑run homer in the fourth.
Little Rock’s fourth‑inning rally continued with RBI singles from Blake Simpson and Baumbach, extending their advantage. SIUE’s pitching staff answered with Brennen Grams delivering a career‑high 3.1 innings, before Noah Johnson entered to relieve Jase Phillips in the same frame.
The Cougars kept fighting, loading the bases in the sixth but managing only a single run, while Little Rock added a seventh‑inning tally to pull within two. Earlier in the season, Chase Bloomer had etched his name into the program record books with 242 career hits, a milestone that underscored the team’s historic run.
Finishing the year at 33‑24, the Cougars set a new Division I win record for the university, a testament to the steady development of players such as Joseph Martin and Easton Harris, who combined for two scoreless innings in the tournament finale.