ROME, Ga. – The Oglethorpe University baseball team capped off a memorable 2026 campaign Friday at the Southern Athletic Association Championship Tournament, defeating Sewanee 7-3 in an elimination game before falling 6-4 to Trinity University later in the day.
Behind clutch hitting, timely pitching and the same resilience that defined the season, the Stormy Petrels continued to battle until the final inning of their season-ending matchup against Trinity. Oglethorpe closed the year after another strong run in conference play and a season filled with offensive firepower, gritty performances and major individual contributions across the roster.
Game One: Oglethorpe 7, Sewanee 3
Facing elimination to begin the day, the Petrels responded with one of their most complete performances of the postseason.
Oglethorpe collected 10 hits, stole three bases and played error-free defense while rallying late to pull away from Sewanee.
The Petrels struck first in the opening inning after Trey Kinnan singled and later scored on a Sewanee throwing error. After the Tigers answered with runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead, Oglethorpe delivered its biggest inning of the tournament in the bottom of the seventh.
Nick Morgan and Cade Eidam opened the rally with singles before Evan Smallwood tied the game after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Moments later, Ryan Causey delivered the defining swing of the game, ripping a three-run double down the left-field line to give the Petrels a 6-3 advantage.
Oglethorpe added an insurance run in the eighth when Cade Eidam drove in Drew Jabaley with an RBI single to center.
Eidam led the offense with a four-hit performance, finishing 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Causey added two doubles and three RBIs, while Kinnan recorded two hits and scored twice.
On the mound, Micah Knox kept the Petrels within striking distance before Will Lumpkin turned in a dominant relief appearance. Lumpkin tossed 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four to earn the win.
Game Two: Trinity 6, Oglethorpe 4
Oglethorpe carried the momentum from its opening victory into the semifinal matchup against Trinity University, jumping out to an early lead and battling until the final inning before falling 6-4 Friday evening.
The Stormy Petrels struck first with a strong fourth inning, plating three runs on timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. Smallwood reached base to begin the rally before Brick Conway ripped a double into right center to put runners in scoring position. Jace Armstrong followed with an RBI single to score Smallwood and give Oglethorpe the early advantage.
Later in the inning, Aiden Hosford delivered an RBI double to extend the lead to 2-0, and Ben Chatham added another run after reaching on a Trinity fielding error. The Petrels finished the frame with three runs on three hits and looked firmly in control midway through the contest.
Oglethorpe added another run in the sixth inning when Kinnan lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Hosford and stretching the lead to 4-2.
Conway paced the offense with two doubles, while Armstrong and Hosford each recorded RBI hits. Eidam reached base twice, and the Petrels finished the game with seven hits against one of the conference's top pitching staffs.
On the mound, Parker Spring and Paul Gaeta combined to keep Trinity contained through the middle innings before Dylan Quintilio and Hunter Lovett worked late in relief. Despite the final result, the Petrel pitching staff limited Trinity to just six hits and one earned run across the contest.
Trinity rallied late behind patient at-bats and capitalized on key opportunities in the seventh and eighth innings to pull ahead. Oglethorpe continued to fight in the ninth, bringing the tying run to the plate before the Tigers secured the final outs.
The Petrels ended the season 22-21 overall.
Game Notes
- Oglethorpe scored seven unanswered runs in its win over Sewanee after trailing 3-2 entering the seventh inning.
- Eidam went a combined 5-for-8 across Friday's two games.
- Causey drove in three runs against Sewanee and finished the season with a team-leading 53 RBIs.
- Lumpkin tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory in game one.
- Conway recorded two doubles against Trinity and finished the season with 43 hits.
- Kinnan closed the season as Oglethorpe's hits leader with 55 and also ranked second on the team with a .335 batting average.
Season Highlights
- Oglethorpe finished the year with one of the most explosive offenses in the SAA, highlighted by multiple players batting above .325.
- Causey led the team with an Oglethorpe single season record-tying 14 home runs, along with 53 RBIs, 97 total bases, and a .638 slugging percentage.
- Eidam paced the Petrels with a .353 batting average while also scoring 39 runs and stealing 16 bases.
- Kinnan led the team with 55 hits and added 10 doubles and 38 runs scored during his standout season.
- Smallwood contributed across the board with a .326 batting average, 31 runs scored, and 27 RBIs.
- Knox anchored the pitching staff with a team-high 59.1 innings pitched and 40 strikeouts.
- Tyler Hower posted a team-best 3.02 ERA and recorded four saves during an impressive campaign out of the bullpen.
- The Petrels recorded season highs of 17 runs and 20 hits during a dominant win over Southwestern earlier this spring.
- Oglethorpe remained one of the conference's toughest offensive teams throughout the year, combining power, speed, and aggressive baserunning to produce clutch performances all season long.
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