CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND! Widener Baseball Advances to MAC Championship After Dominating Game Three Victory

5/2/2026 7:57:00 PM

Story Courtesy of Widener Athletics

CHESTER, Pa. – Widener Baseball advances to the MAC Championship series after a dominating game three victory over the Hood Blazers.
 
The Pride are now 22-19 on the season.
 
BY THE NUMBERS GAME ONE
  • Ryan Bauerle was exceptional at the plate, going 4-5, with two doubles and one RBI.
  • Hayden O'Neill delivered an outstanding performance on the mound, tossing 8.0 and striking out six batters while allowing three runs.
  • Brandon Yoder and Ryan Madden contributed offensively by each scoring a run for the Pride, with Yoder also recording a double.
 
BY THE NUMBERS GAME TWO
  • Kevin Bukowski had a phenomenal game at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double, a home run, and an impressive five runs batted in.
  • Sean Burke contributed significantly to the offensive explosion by hitting two doubles, scoring three runs, and adding an RBI in his 2-for-4 performance.
  • Mark Selverian was highly efficient in the box, tallying three hits in four at-bats, scoring twice, and driving in a run.
  • Ryan Bauerle continued his hot streak, recording two hits, including a double, and crossing the plate twice.
  • Braedyn Clinton was on fire in game three, going 3-6 with a home run, four runs batted in, one run scored, and a stolen base
  • The pitching duo of John Najdek and Alex Epperly dominated, combining for a 9.0 inning shutout while allowing zero runs, scattering nine hits, and issuing only three walks.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME ONE
  • The beginning of the game was a true pitcher's duel, with the score remaining deadlocked at 0-0 through the first five innings. Widener's starting pitcher, Hayden O'Neill, commanded the zone early on and completely shut down the Blazers offense. Offensively, despite early hits from Ryan Bauerle, the Pride were unable to string together enough momentum to push a run across.
 
  • The scoreless tie was finally broken in the top of the sixth inning when the Blazers pushed a run across to give them a 1-0 lead. Widener answered back in the bottom of the seventh, scoring one run to even things up at one. Ryan Madden got things started with a single to right field followed by a single from Braedyn Clinton to put runners on first and second. Ryan Bauerle came up clutch and delivered a single up to middle to drive in Madden. The Pride kept the pressure on in the bottom of the eighth inning, successfully pulling ahead as another run was scored on a wild pitch to take a late 2-1 lead. Unfortunately, the Blazers mounted a late rally in the top of the ninth, where two runs were scored to flip the lead back in their favor at 3-2. Widener was unable to get the bats going in the bottom of the ninth and would lose game two of the series by a final score of 3-2.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME TWO
  • The Pride came out hot in game three, taking a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ryan Bauerle got things started with a single followed by a Sean Burke walk to put runners on first and second. Kevin Bukowski drove them both in with a three run shot over the left center field wall. The Pride added to their lead in the second with an RBI singles from Bukowski and Mark Selverian to give them a 5-0 lead. Widener tacked on one more in the frame, capitalizing on a Hood error to take a 6-0 lead. The Pride bats stayed aggressive in the fourth, scoring four more runs to take a dominate 11-0 lead. Myles Calderbank drew a bases loaded walk to drive one in followed by a Ryan Madden single to drive in another. Calderbank later scored on a passed ball to make it 9-0 followed by a Braedyn Clinton two-run blast over the left field wall.
 
  • The Pride continued to add on in game three as Myles Calderbank drove in two more in the fifth with a double to centerfield to make it 13-0. Sean Burke and Kevin Bukowski each had an RBI double in the sixth to make it a 15-0 game. John Najdek wrapped up a masterful performance after seven innings, allowing just six hits and keeping Hood scoreless. The Widener offense stayed on the attack in the bottom of the seventh, as Braedyn Clinton made it 17-0 with a two-run single up the middle. The Pride's final runs of the day would come in the eighth as JP DiGuiseppe was hit by a pitch with the bases load and Ryan Madden delivered a sacrifice fly to make in 19-0. The Blazers offense was unable to push any across and the Pride would win game three by a final score of 19-0 and secure their spot in the MAC Championship.

UP NEXT
The Pride will play in the MAC Championship series on Friday, May 8th at Messiah. Game time is TBA.