Site: Livonia, Mich. (Ilitch Ballpark)
Score: Indiana Tech 12, Madonna 7
Records: MU (32-14), Indiana Tech (34-18)
Next MU event: TBA

LIVONIA, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - The championship game of the 2011 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Baseball Championship was even for five innings but a five-run sixth inning by Indiana Tech was too much for host Madonna University as the Warriors took away a 12-7 decision and the WHAC Tournament title for the third straight season at Ilitch Ballpark on Friday (May 6).

MU was led by a pair of seniors - shortstop Mike Gansser (Lake in the Hills, Ill. / Adams) and rightfielder Matt Kay (Canton, Mich. / Canton) - who both posted a pair of hits. First baseman Brad Lineberry (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) hit his first home run of the season as part of a three-RBI day while leftfielder Steve Pelletier(Farmington Hills, Mich. / Harrison) drove in a pair of runs.

The Crusaders plated a single run in the top of the first (MU was the 'away' team) as Gansser reached on a one-out triple and came home on a Pelletier sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.

Tech tied the game in the bottom of the frame, scoring a run off of lefty Eric Wright (Canton, Mich. / Canton) to square the game at 1-1.

Madonna retook the lead in the top of the second when centerfielder Alex Charles (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Brother Rice Catholic) singled home Lineberry for a 2-1 lead. Second baseman Jeff Bultinck (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Notre Dame Prep) then singled home third baseman Victor Barron (Fowlerville, Mich. / Fowlerville) to put the Crusaders in front 3-1.

Tech got single runs in the second and third to tie the game after three at 3-3.

The Warriors broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth, plating five runs with the big blow coming in the form of a three-run homer by Justin Medeiros to put IIT on top 8-3. The Tech lead grew to 10-3 in the seventh, with both runs being unearned after a pair of MU miscues.

The Crusaders plated three runs in the top of the eighth with Lineberry's homer to pull MU back to within four at 10-6 but Tech scored twice in the bottom of the frame to lead 12-6 after eight complete.

Gansser led off the ninth with his second triple of the game and came home on a Pelletier ground out but that was the only run MU could push across and the Crusaders fell by a 12-7 final.

Wright (2-3) took the loss for MU while Daniel Puckett (5-2) earned the win for Tech, throwing seven and 1/3 innings, striking out eight.

Madonna must now wait to see if its WHAC regular season title and 32 wins will be good enough to earn an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Tournament selections will be announced on Sunday.