PHOTOS | KINGSPORT, Tenn. -  The third-seeded Madonna University Crusaders saw their season come to an end with a 7-6 walk-off loss to fifth-seed Trinity Christian (Ill.) in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round Kingsport Bracket at Hunter Wright Stadium on Tuesday.

THANK YOU SENIORS

The loss ends the careers of a talented group of seniors who won a pair of Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament titles and made two trips to the NAIA Opening Round. The seniors include: Marcus Doughten (SR/Taylor, Mich.), Jared Hagan(SR/Dearborn Heights, Mich.), Matt Deneau (SR/Amherstburg, Ontario), Cliff Landess(SR/Carleton, Mich. ), Kohl Roberts (SR/Jackson, Mich.), Michael Kanitra (SR/Livonia, Mich.), Jimmy White (SR/Cincinnati, Ohio), Mitch Hudvagner (SR/Cottam, Ontario), Blake Herrera (SR/Apopka, Fla.), Todd Jones (SR/Monroe, Mich.) and Patrick Wierimaa(SR/Redford, Mich.) while redshirt junior Taylor Turner (JR/Northville, Mich.) may also graduate.

This group will leave as one of the most successful in program history and we'd like to thank them for continuing the tradition that is Madonna Baseball.

HOW IT HAPPENED: TRINITY CHRISTIAN (34-23) 7, MADONNA (36-18) 6

• First Inning

  • Hagan and Jerad Dokey (SO/Howell, Mich.) led off the game with back-to-back singles and, following a Jalen Thomas (JR/Southfield, Mich.) sacrifice, Frankie Lucska (SO/Garden City, Mich.) doubled into the right field corner for the 2-0 lead.

• Second Inning

  • A single, a walk and a two-out base hit got the Trolls on the board.

• Third Inning

  • Dokey was in on the scoring again as he singled with one out, moved to second an a foul out and scored on an error off the bat of Lucska for the two-run advantage.

• Sixth Inning

  • Deneau doubled with one out and his courtesy runner, Noah Renaud (SO/River Canard, Ontario), scored on a single from Hudvagner, as the left fielder bobbled the ball, for the 4-1 lead.

  • A one-out, two-run home run just over the left field wall cut the lead to one.

• Seventh Inning

  • Dokey was a catalyst again as he led off with a walk, another error put Lucska on and Cole Rize (JR/Dexter, Mich.) drove one in the gap in right center to score both and push the lead back to three, 6-3.

  • Tyler Buztin ran into trouble in the bottom half as the first three batters reached, but a pair of pop ups to first and a strikeout ended the threat and kept MU on top.

• Eighth Inning

  • Landess came on for a six-out save but, after inducing a pair of quick groundouts, he walked three straight Trolls and a single through the left side scored a pair of runs to make it a one score game.

• Ninth Inning

  • Three singles, one with one out, tied the game. An intentional walk loaded the bases and a sacrifice, squeeze bunt up the first base line scored the winning run and ended the season for the Blue and Gold.

INSIDE THE BOX

• Deneau finished 3-for-4 to pace the Crusaders' 10-hit attack while Hagan and Dokey each collected two hits

• Dokey scored three times while Lucska and Rize each drove in two

• Butzin took a no-decision as he allowed three runs on nine hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over seven innings

• Landess took the loss as he allowed four runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings

• Madonna falls to 4-12 in Opening Round play