Racers Get Upset by Cornerstone, Stay Alive with Win Over Aquinas

ROCKFORD, MI - The first day of the 2026 WHAC Tournament didn't begin the way UNOH would've liked Thursday morning as the eight-seed Cornerstone Golden Eagles posted a major upset over the Racers, 7-4. The loss forced UNOH into an elimination game against five-seed Aquinas where they rallied to stay alive in the tournament, 10-1.

Most of the damage in game one came in the very first trip to the plate for either team. Cornerstone opened with a single, two doubles, and another single to take a 3-0 lead before an out had even been record. They added one more to finishing off a four-run first inning and never looked back. A two-out, two-run double added another pair of runs for the Golden Eagles in the fourth and essentially sealed the contest. The Racers finally got some offense going in the bottom half of that inning scoring three on a bases loaded double by Kole Huffman. Eliomar Otero made history two frames later smashing his record setting 28th career home run topping the previous mark that had stood since 2018 (Kyle Fisher - 27).

Unfortunately for the Racers, it would be their final run of the game despite putting runners in scoring position during each of the next two innings. Back-to-back strikeouts shut down a scoring opportunity in the seventh after getting runners to second and third with one out. A similar story unfolded in the eighth, but a couple base running blunders cost another chance to score after loading the bags with no outs. Cornerstone used an error to tack on an insurance run in the top of the ninth before finishing the upset with a double play in the bottom.

Sinjon Bobolia (6-3) was responsible for four of the seven runs over three and two-thirds innings to take the loss. A fifth unearned run scored against the senior righty who finished with two strikeouts and a walk. Noah Curi led a parade of six relief pitchers throughout the game working three full innings without a hit while striking out four and walking one. Carter Hicks, Ryan Yingst, Josh Mauney, Jordan Davis and Blake O'Bryan all took the bump in the loss with each putting in an inning or less.

After taking the loss, UNOH had to rally for a game two that now carried the extra weight of being an elimination scenario. They wasted no time taking control of that contest scoring three in the first and five in the second to carry an 8-0 lead through two. Cesar Grau drove in the first followed by Tyler Huff who brought in two more on a double to gap in left center field. Eliomar Otero singled for two and Zach Grigalis singled for one to get things rolling again in the second. A Nolan Hull RBI groundout and a Huff single to center capped the inning at five and put the Racers in control.

The teams traded a run in the third and fourth frames before Otero added to his long ball record with his second of the day that made it a 10-1 ball game. The scoring opportunities continued in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings but the Racer runners were left stranded each time.

Eliomar Otero was responsible for seven of the team's ten runs driving in three and scoring four while hitting 4-6 with a double and a home run. Tyler Huff also brought in three and Cesar Grau plated two going 2-5 and 3-4, respectively, with each doubling in the game. 

Daniel Healy (10-1) earned his tenth win of the season, the program's most since 2021, allowing one run on six hits. The two-time pitcher of the year looked the part again going the distance and matching his season high with nine strikeouts and just one free pass. It was his sixth complete game of the year, matching the single season program record, and the first of his career to go a full nine innings.

The win advances UNOH into day two of the tournament where they await the loser of Madonna and Lawrence Tech who both posted wins on day one. The Blue Devils advanced with their own upset downing two-seed Indiana Tech 6-5 and the Crusaders battled out a victory over Siena Heights 6-5. If the Racers win Friday, May 1, they will have to win two more games on Saturday for a shot at the tournament title on Sunday.