WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College baseball team had its 2025 season end Friday evening at the 2025 Presidents' Athletic Conference Tournament. The Presidents earned a dominant 14-1 win over third-seeded Allegheny to stave off elimination in Friday's opener. However, the Presidents dropped a 4-1 decision in 10 innings to second-seeded Grove City in Friday's nightcap at Ross Memorial Park.

Game G – W&J 14, Allegheny 1 (Elimination Game)

Erik Streussnig (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) delivered a gem of a performance to lift the Presidents past the Gators by a 14-1 score to open Friday's action. Streussnig registered his first complete game effort of his collegiate career. The freshman struck out four and issue no walks during the all-important efficient outing that helped the Presidents save their pitching staff for the later game. Streussnig allowed just five hits and one unearned run which came with two outs in the ninth. With the win, he improves to 7-1 in his debut season. Streussnig's complete game effort was the first a Presidents' hurler in the PAC Tournament since Riley Groves tossed a one-hit shutout to help W&J top Thiel in the opening game of the 2016 conference tournament.

W&J scored early and often in the rout over Allegheny. The Presidents piled up 14 runs on 15 hits. Four Presidents recorded multi-hit efforts in the win over the Gators. Leading the way was Knox Meier (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep), who produced two hits and a season-high four RBI. Josh Dezenzo (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) tacked on two hits and a pair of RBI. Luke Alvarez (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) recorded two hits, two RBI and an extra base hit. Brian Feldman (Gibsonia, Pa./Eden Christian Academy) tallied two hits and scored three runs.

The Presidents scored in seven of the nine frames. Playing as the visiting team on its home field, W&J scored twice in the first, using a sac fly by Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) and an RBI single by Dezenzo to give the Red and Black an early lead.

W&J doubled its lead with two more runs in the second. Singles by Alvarez and Teddy Platt (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) set up the frame. Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius) scored Alvarez on a sac fly in front of an RBI single by Drew Garth (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) that made it 4-0.

Three more runs came across home plate as W&J chased the Allegheny starter in the third inning. The Presidents were able to tack on three more runs despite recording just one hit during the frame. The highlight of the inning came when Dezenzo stole home with two outs to extend the advantage to 7-0.

Meier stretched the lead to 8-0 with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Two-RBI hits by Meier and Alvarez were part of a four-run seventh inning that made it 12-0 Presidents.

W&J added a run each in the seventh and the ninth innings. That was plenty of support for Streussnig, who cruised for most of the day. Streussnig retired the side in order in five of the nine innings.

Game I – Grove City 4, W&J 1 (10 Innings)

The final game of Friday's slate lived up to the billing as another classic in the recent head-to-head series needed extra innings to decide the winner. The Wolverines scored three times in the top of the 10th inning to secure the 4-1 victory over the Presidents.

Following six scoreless frames, the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single up the middle on a 3-2 pitch with two outs. A potential second run was waived off as a trail runner was thrown out at third base by Zac Stern (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) before crossing home plate.

W&J evened the score with another clutch tournament moment from senior shortstop Jacob LaDuca (Clarence, N.Y./Canisius). Following two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth, LaDuca launched a 1-0 pitch just over the left field fence to even the score. LaDuca, who has hit game-deciding home runs late in key wins over the Wolverines in the two previous PAC Tournaments came through again in the late innings Friday. Four of 11 career home runs for LaDuca have come in the PAC Tournament play.

Both teams were retired in order in the ninth inning, which pushed the game into extra innings. Grove City set up shop with a leadoff double to open the 10th. After an out advanced the potential go-ahead run to third base, W&J elected to intentionally walk a pair of hitters to set up a force out at any base. However, Grove City took the lead for good with a two-run single into left field. The Wolverines brought home another run on a fielder's choice.

The Presidents were retired in order in the bottom of the 10th as the Wolverines closed out the victory. The win was the first for Grove City over W&J in the PAC Tournament since 2017.

The loss ends W&J's run of five-consecutive PAC Tournament Championships. That reign matched the longest consecutive streak of baseball titles in the conference's history.

Bobby Budacki (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton Area) turned in a gutsy performance on the mound. Despite logging just 3.2 innings prior this season, Budacki worked 4.1 scoreless frames to match the pitching efforts from the other side. Nate Nolan (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny) followed with 2.2 innings in relief. Nolan allowed one run on four hits. Brandon Bastian (Barto, Pa./The Hill School) worked 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. Bastian allowed three runs, each of which came in the 10th inning as he suffered the loss. Jake Stiehl (Reston, Va./South Lakes) recorded the final two outs via strikeouts.

W&J wraps up the 2025 season with an overall mark of 28-15. Grove City will face Westminster with a chance to capture the PAC title on Saturday at 1 p.m.