Denison Baseball Makes History: Big Red Punch Ticket to College World Series After Walk-Off Thriller

The road to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship has reached its climax, and Denison baseball is squarely in the national spotlight. The Big Red (50-3) stormed through the regular season with a perfect 16-0 North Coast Athletic Conference mark, pieced together a school-record 44-game winning streak, and now stand one win away from the first national crown in program history. Game 3 of the best-of-three title series against No. 9 Endicott College is set for 3:35 p.m. ET today at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio. Denison seized a 6-0 shutout in Wednesday’s opener behind junior ace Noah Daunic’s five scoreless frames before falling 11-10 in Thursday’s back-and-forth thriller, forcing the decisive rubber match. Key storylines for Big Red fans and neutral observers alike: • Offensive firepower: Denison averages 12.1 runs, sparked by leadoff catalyst Cole Sundgren (.401, 18 HR) and middle-order thunder from sophomore slugger Ethan Lutte (.382, 20 HR). The lineup has belted double-digit homers in three postseason games, including a 20-4 regional romp over Wooster. • Pitching depth: Coach Mike Deegan has leaned on a deep rotation all year. Senior left-hander AJ Marrs (11-0, 1.88 ERA) and strikeout king Jack Montero (142 Ks) are both available on full rest, while closer Tyler Rettig has converted 13 straight save chances, breaking the school record last week. • Resilience under pressure: Denison has already logged four walk-off victories this postseason—two in regionals and two in the super-regional sweep of Piedmont—underscoring their knack for late-game drama. • Historic context: The Big Red have claimed six consecutive NCAC regular-season titles but have never lifted the national trophy. A victory would secure the conference’s first D-III baseball championship since 2011 and cap the winningest campaign in Denison Athletics history. Endicott counters with a balanced attack led by All-American outfielder Brendan McDermott (.415, 26 SB) and a bullpen anchored by senior righty Jake Cusick (0.96 ERA). The Gulls handed Denison two of its three losses this year, including Thursday’s 11-run slugfest, setting the stage for a heavyweight finale. Fans unable to make the short drive from Granville can stream the winner-take-all battle live on NCAA.com, while in-game updates will roll out on @DU_Baseball across social platforms. First pitch comes with everything on the line: bragging rights, a dogpile at Classic Park, and a place in Division III baseball lore. Search interest in “Denison baseball” has never been higher, and with championship drama, record-setting performances and regional pride converging, today’s showdown promises to keep Big Red momentum—and website traffic—soaring.