MONTCLAIR, N.J. – Following the advice of the stadium's namesake, Whitworth pushed 9th-ranked Endicott to the limit, forcing an "if necessary" game before finally getting eliminated at the 2026 Montclair Division III baseball regional on Sunday at Yogi Berra Stadium.
The Pirates worked their way through the losers' bracket to the brink of a regional title before falling 19-12 in the finale. Whitworth forced the final contest with a 19-8 win over the Gulls in Sunday's first game.
The Pirates finish their 2026 campaign with a record of 31-16, tied for the most wins in a single season. Endicott advances to play Salve Regina (R.I.) in a Division III Super Regional next weekend.
Game 1 – Whitworth 19, Endicott 8
The Gulls gave up season highs for runs and hits against the Pirates, who reached their own season-highs in the dominant opener. Endicott came into the game with the fourth-best team ERA in NCAA Division III (2.85).
The top four in the lineup did much of the damage. First baseman Carson Coffield finished 4 for 5 with a double, home run and seven RBIs, while third baseman Caleb Gray finished 3 for 5 with a triple, home run and four RBIs. Right fielder Kyle Memarian, the leadoff hitter, went 4 for 7 with 5 RBIs and four runs scored. Second baseman Spencer Shipman finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.
But it wasn't all about the hitting. Sophomore LHP Rylan Blair gave the team an opportunity to break through, throwing four strong innings to start the game. He didn't factor in the decision but limited the powerful Gulls to only one run on two hits. Luke Stutesman (4-2) got the decision with two innings of relief, giving up two runs on three hits.
The Whitworth offense didn't get going until the fifth. Edicott starting pitcher Jeremy Krendel held the Pirates to a pair of infield singles through the first four frames. But then the offense woke up. Whitworth sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth and scored three runs, including RBI singles by Memarian, Coffield and Gray.
A key moment occurred in the sixth. Memarian was called out on a close play at first for what appeared to be the third out. But the decision was overturned on video appeal and Memarian stole second before Shipman delivered an RBI single. Coffield followed with an RBI double to left for a 5-1 lead.
Endicott loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the sixth. One run scored when Stutesman induced a ground ball double play. Another scored on Adam Regan's RBI single.
Whitworth put the game out of reach by scoring seven runs in the seventh. Memarian plated the first two with a double, then scored on Coffield's two-run single. Gray tripled home two more and then scored on Dominic Giusti's squeeze for a 12-3 lead.
Coffield added a two-run home run in the eighth. The Pirates scored five more in the ninth, including a two-run double by Memarian and Gray's second home run of the regional.
The Gulls got five runs after two were out in the bottom of the ninth. Brenden Walsh had a three-run home run and Finn Adams finished off with a two-run double.
Tyler Disch threw the final three innings for the Bucs.
Five relievers followed Krendel to the mound for Endicott. Each allowed at least two runs in the game.
Game 2 – Endicott 19, Whitworth 12
The Pirates took three leads in the game, but could not hold off the Gulls in the regional finale, as Adam Regan hit two home runs for Endicott and four uncharacteristic errors cost the Bucs seven unearned runs.
Coffield and Gray had back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the first as part of a three-run rally. Endicott took a 5-3 lead in the top of the second. Two runs scored on James Benestad's single and two more on Adam Regan's home run. All five runs were unearned as two errors extended the inning.
Austin Paul's two-run home run in the bottom of the second tied the game back up. It was his second of the regional. Shipman added an RBI double later in the second to put the Pirates back in front 6-5.
After the Gulls tied the game in the top of the third, Whitworth took its final lead in the bottom of the fourth on Gray's two-out single that scored Memarian. The game turned when Kyan Bagshaw came on in relief for the Gulls. He slowed down the Pirate attack with four solid innings of work from the fourth through the seventh, limiting the Bucs to two runs (one earned) on three hits. He got the win to improve to 1-1.
Endicott took the lead for good in the top of the fifth with five runs, four on Regan's grand slam. The Gulls pulled away from there, eventually opening a 16-7 lead in the top of the eighth thanks to another unearned run.
The Pirates refused to go quietly, plating three runs in the eighth on a walk, error and sacrifice fly after loading the bases with one out.
Endicott hit two more home runs in the top of the ninth, a solo shot by Walsh and a two-run blast by AJ Hamm.
Memarian closed out his stellar Pirate career with his final home run, a two-run blow to left in the bottom of the ninth. He finished the game 4 for 5 with two RBIs and five runs scored.
Zach Wright (1-2) started on the mound and battled through adversity to allow 10 runs (only four earned) on seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings. Five Pirates followed in relief.
