WICHITA, Kan. — In their final game of the season, the Newman University baseball team came up on the short end dropping a heartbreaking defeat to Arkansas-Fort Smith, 2-1 in 10-innings Saturday afternoon (May 4). The Jets finished the regular season with a 17-30 overall and concluding their final season in the Heartland Conference with a 3-18 mark.

Offensively the Jets were limited to just five total hits, with two coming in the eighth. Jacob Hanson recorded just the third hit of the game leading the inning off with a single up the middle. Turner Lace followed the at-bat, driving home Hanson lacing a double into the alley in left field knotting things up, 1-1. Chris Opolka moved over the go-ahead run with a sacrifice bunt, but a strikeout and groundout ended the threat.

The Newman pitching staff provided a solid performance, tossing all seniors during a pitching by committee rotation in the series finale. The senior arms allowed just two runs over 10-innings on nine hits and punching out six Lions in the effort.

Zack Erdman and Garrett Hammond each tossed two-innings in their outings, while seniors Roger Wilson, Wade Winter, Samuel Hersh, Jacob Stramel, Trey Tucker and Quinton Bonnell all tossed an inning of work.

Senior, Jake Hanson led the Jets in hitting recording a 2-for-4 performance in his final game in a NU uniform. Tyler Push extended his hitting streak to seven straight games after going 1-for-4 at the dish.