Baseball Clinches UAA Title for First Conference Championship since 1913

CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago baseball team completed the four-game series sweep over New York University to clinch the UAA Title and earn an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament. The conference title is the Maroons' fifth in program history and the first in 113 years, since UChicago won the Big Ten in 1913.

The Maroons opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, setting the tone with seven runs. After a pair of singles by

Braden Jirovec and

Erik Rindner and a walk by

Michael Gladden, the Maroons struck first on a pair of bases-loaded walks by

Nathan Bae and

Harrison Belden. Following the walks,

Ryan Bhojwani ripped a two-run single into right field, and

Luke Weston followed that up with a two-run single of his own. Jirovec ended the onslaught with his second hit of the inning as he ripped a double into centerfield, scoring Weston and stretching the lead to 7-0.

Michael Gladden kept the offense rolling in the second inning as he smashed his fifth home run of the season to extend the UChicago lead to 8-0.

Despite the big deficit early, the Violets would not go away. NYU scored one in the third inning, and they added four more in the fourth to cut the lead to 8-5.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bae ripped a two-out single, and Belden doubled deep into the left-center gap to bring Bae home for an insurance run and a 9-5 lead.

After a pair of scoreless innings, the Violets scored four runs on just two hits, thanks to a walk and three hit-by-pitches from a trio of UChicago pitchers, allowing NYU to level the score at nine. However, the Maroons bounced right back with four consecutive singles to open the bottom of the seventh inning. Belden, Bhojwani, and

Brady Miller all singled to load the bases, and

Jack Sharp ripped a two-run single into left field to put the Maroons back in front. Miller later scored on a sacrifice bunt, and Rindner singled home Sharp to stretch the UChicago lead to 13-10.

The Violets loaded the bases in the top of the eighth inning, but

Taran Kamat shut down the NYU threat with a strikeout of one of the top hitters in the UAA, Kosta Moklis. Then, in the ninth inning, NYU recorded three straight singles to load the bases for the second inning in a row. However,

Mike Sosna recorded a strikeout and a double play to seal the 13-10 victory and clinch the conference title.

Ryan Bhojwani led the offense with three hits, two runs, and a pair of RBIs, and

Luke Weston added a team-high three RBIs in the win.

Taran Kamat earned the win after striking out three batters in 1.1 shutout innings in relief.

Russell Kwinter gave up five runs in 3.1 innings of work in the start, and

Corey Savedoff and

Lucien Reed also combined for 2.1 shutout innings of work in the win.

With the win, the Maroons improve to 23-13 overall and finish their UAA season with a 15-5 record and the first conference title in 113 years of UChicago baseball. The win also stretches the UChicago win streak to the longest in program history at 12 consecutive games, tied with the streak in the 1896 season that included wins over Northwestern, Lake Forest, Wisconsin, Iowa, Grinnell, Michigan, and Rush Medical College.

The Maroons will return to action on Wednesday, April 29, as UChicago continues non-conference play with a game against the Aurora Spartans. First pitch is scheduled for 6 PM CT.