BEVERLY, MA — A remarkably resilient run to the cusp of a national championship ended in heartbreak for the Endicott College baseball team on Thursday as top-ranked Denison rallied from down 3-0 for a 4-3, walk-off victory in extra innings in East Lake, Ohio.
Endicott forced the deciding game in the best-of-three series with a walk-off win of its own in Game 2 earlier in the day when the Gulls claimed an 11-10 triumph.
That forced the deciding Game 3 a short time later when Denison used 7 1/3 innings of two-hit, shutout relief from Devin Parker to walk off a title on Jack Lutte's RBI single to right field.
Endicott ended the season at 44-14, while Denison, which won 44 straight games at one point this spring, ended the crowning year at 52-3.
Endicott took a 3-0 lead on a two-run home run from TJ Liponis in the third inning and was cruising behind four no-hit innings from starter Even Scully before Max Fishbein gave Denison life with a solo home run in the fifth.
Endicott's John Fusco doubled and was stranded in the sixth before Denison tied it with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Gulls had a chance to get the lead right back when Adam Regan hit a leadoff double in the seventh, but again Parker dug down and got out of trouble.
Regan's two-out walk gave Endicott a shot at the win in the night with Liponis at the plate, but a caught stealing ended the frame.
Endicott then went in order in the top of the 10th before Denison's winning rally on a Kelly Crittenberger single, Eron Vega single, and Lutte's game-winning smash to right field.
The Gulls had been 5-0 in deciding games this season before Thursday afternoon's loss.
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