HUNTINGTON, Ind. - A historic season for Grace's baseball team came to an end on Wednesday afternoon. The Lancers, who earned a spot in the Crossroads League tournament hosted by Huntington, fell to No. 6 seed Spring Arbor 6-2 in the opening round.

After allowing a run on the bottom half of the first, Grace's pitching staff settled in to pitch four straight scoreless innings. The Cougars clung to the narrow 1-0 lead until the fifth inning. 

Grace (21-27, 13-23 CL) manufactured the tying run in the fifth to level the score. Bradyn McIntosh singled to start the inning and later scored on Jeff Pawlik's RBI single to the gap in right. 

Spring Arbor (25-19, 17-19 CL) broke the deadlock in the six, plating a pair of runs to take a 3-1 lead. 

The Lancers threatened in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs. McIntosh added his second single of the game. Gavin Kelley followed with a single of his own, and Pawlik reached base after a hit by pitch. The decisive hit didn't come, leaving the score in favor of the home team 3-1. 

In the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars took advantage of two walks and an error to load the bases. A bases clearing single increased the lead to five. 

The Lancers, no strangers to late-game heroics, started to put together a rally in the final inning. John Joyce reached safely to start the rally. McIntosh added his third hit, and Kelly added an RBI single to left to plate Joyce. Later in the inning, Pawlik reached with his 16th hit by pitch of the season, followed by a walk to Josh Cosme to load the bases. Sam Newkirk, representing the tying run, belted a deep drive to center that was caught on the warning track to end the game 6-2. 

McIntosh and Kelly paced Grace with five of the team's eight hits in the game. Pawlik chipped in one hit and one RBI. 

Steven Hernandez pitched 6.1 innings, allowing four runs, only one earned, with one strikeout. Hunter Schumacher and Joey Springer pitched the final 1.2 innings, collecting two strikeouts and allowing two runs, both unearned.

The conclusion of the season marks the end of a career for eight Lancers; Sam Newkirk, Colin Carr, Jeff Pawlik, Jarrett Faubion, Caleb Farney, Tanner Clark, Mason Meyer and Isaiah Herbster.

The 2023 campaign featured a number of accomplishments. The team compiled 21 wins, tying the mark for most wins in a season. Thirteen of those wins were against conference opponents, breaking the record for most conference wins in a season. 

Individually, seven records were broken. Maximo De Leon had a standout first season in a Lancer uniform, etching his name atop three offensive categories. He is now the single-season leader in hits (64), stolen bases (29) and runs (53). Sam Newkirk set the career mark for runs (106) and doubles (40). Hunter Schumacher broke the single-season saves record (6) and the career saves record (10).