BOX SCORE  | TOURNAMENT STATS

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - - The No. 16 ranked Madonna University baseball team fell in an elimination game against No. 13 Fresno Pacific University by a score of 6-2 Thursday. With the loss the Crusaders complete their 2009 postseason run in the Opening Round of the NAIA National Tournament.

The 2009 campaign will go down as one of the most successful in program history as the Crusaders captured the regular season WHAC Championship and received the first ever bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Madonna finishes the season with a record of 39-12 which is the second most wins in a season since head coach Greg Haeger took over in 1997.

Fresno Pacific managed one run in each of the first two innings before Madonna's defense settled in, holding the Sunbirds scoreless through the following four innings.

With Madonna trailing 2-0 heading into the eighth inning, Fresno Pacific scored four runs in the top of the frame, extending the lead to 6-0.

In the bottom of the frame Madonna began a rally, right fielder Matt Kay (Canton, Mich.) and designated hitter Drew Fry (Madison Heights, Mich.) reached on a fielding error and balls respectively to give MU runners on first and second with nobody out. Left fielder Ted Toune (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) singled to the first baseman to load the bases for pinch hitter Scott Boyer (Flat Rock, Mich.). With the count at 0-1 Boyer hit a grounder to the second baseman, reaching on a fielder's choice, and scoring Kay from third. Fry scored the Crusader's second run of the inning when second baseman Ryan Morrow (Taylor, Mich.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

The two run rally in the eighth would be all the Crusaders would manage and the Bruins, after going scoreless in the top of the ninth, held Madonna in the bottom of the frame to pick up the win.

Third baseman Aaron Hacias (Sterling Heights, Mich.) led the Crusader offense going 2-3 from the plate on the day, Morrow and Boyer each hit an RBI in the game.