NCAA Baseball Regional Preview: Bulldogs Open Up with No. 1 UW-Whitewater on Friday

ADRIAN, Mich. – Nicolay Field will once again host the NCAA Division III Baseball Regionals for the first time since 2019. The Adrian College baseball team earned a spot in the tournament after winning the MIAA Tournament last weekend. Entering as the No. 4 seed in a competitive four-team regional, the Bulldogs will aim to advance to the Super Regionals for the second consecutive season.

About the Bulldogs

Adrian heads into the tournament with a 28-16 overall record and a 16-5 mark in MIAA play. The Bulldogs are currently riding a four-game winning streak, having battled through the consolation bracket to claim the conference title.

Freshman Jake Burns leads the offense with a .385 batting average, while Nic Bruder is heating up at the right time, batting .347 and carrying a 10-game hitting streak. David Kedrow leads the team in RBIs with 51, followed closely by Ryan Davis (48) and Easton Rogers (43), who anchor the heart of the lineup.

On the mound, the Bulldogs rely on a strong starting trio: Jaxon Clark (4.13 ERA), Landon Kozlowski (4.04 ERA), and Ambrose Horwath (3.40 ERA). The bullpen has been a strength, with closer Ryan Davis standing out with a remarkable 0.75 ERA over 36 innings and five saves.

No. 1 Seed: UW-Whitewater Warhawks

Top-seeded UW-Whitewater enters the Regional as the No. 3 team in the nation after earning an automatic bid by defeating UW-Oshkosh in the WIAC Championship. The Warhawks boast a 39-5 overall record and a dominant 24-4 conference finish.

UW-Whitewater leads the nation in team batting average (.364), slugging percentage (.629), and home runs (93). With five players posting double-digit home run totals, the Warhawks will look to power their way to another Regional title. On the mound, their top three starters hold ERAs of 2.66, 3.03, and 5.36.

No. 2 Seed: Washington University (WashU) Bears

WashU earned an at-large bid from the UAA after finishing 25-15 overall and 10-10 in conference play. Ranked 30th in the NPI, the Bears return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

Offensively, WashU is hitting .300 as a team, with one batter over .400 and three others above .300. Their pitching staff is deep and dependable, led by starters with ERAs of 1.84, 2.54, and 3.86.

No. 3 Seed: Ohio Northern University Polar Bears

Ohio Northern earned an at-large bid from the OAC after a 29-12 overall record and a 13-3 conference finish. The Polar Bears, ranked 34th in the NPI, fell to Baldwin Wallace in the OAC Championship Game.

While the team is batting .288 overall, seven players are hitting above .300. The pitching staff has been consistent all season, anchored by their ace who holds a 2.42 ERA, and limiting opponents to a .255 average.

Tournament Schedule

Adrian will face top-seeded UW-Whitewater in Game 2 of the Regional on Friday, May 16 at 2:30 PM. This marks the first meeting between the two teams since the dramatic 2021 Regionals, when the Bulldogs walked off back-to-back games against the Warhawks to earn a trip to the College World Series.

The tournament opens with No. 2 WashU taking on No. 3 Ohio Northern at 11:00 AM on Friday. Elimination games will take place on Saturday at 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM, and 6:00 PM, with the Regional Championship set for Sunday.

Fan Information

Fans can watch every game live online for free via the NCAA Champs Pass, presented by Adrian College TV. Live stats and ticket information are available at www.adrianbulldogs.com. For complete tournament coverage—including brackets, parking info, and streaming links—click HERE.