Laux's blast gives Millersville upper hand in NCAA Atlantic Regional

Saturday, May 16

Millersville, PA

11:00 AM

Millersville University

Seton Hill

Photo by: Mark Palczewski/MU Athletics

Laux's blast gives Millersville upper hand in NCAA Atlantic Regional

5/15/2026 3:15:00 PM | Baseball

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - NCAA Atlantic Regional powers Millersville and Seton Hill traded jabs through the first 6 1/2 innings, but Sammy Laux landed a staggering blow with a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, snapping a tie and lifting Millersville to an 8-4 win for an early advantage in the best-of-three scenario.

While Millersville won the first round, as many as two rounds remain, and Seton Hill, now 42-11, were in this same position and in this same place 365 days ago when Millersville won 8-2 on Friday before Seton Hill won both on Saturday to advance to the NCAA Super Regional. The 2026 Marauders have won all six of their postseason games but need a seventh.

"Relentless," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "It's a value and these guys live it out. It's been a hard year and a tiring year for our coaching staff. We've had to overcome some things. It doesn't surprise me what they are doing, though. This group is a little bit crazy. At the beginning of this series I said we are hunting. Last year we were the hunted. We are a hot team, and that's dangerous to play against."

Laux finished the game 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs. No swing was bigger than his two-out home run. Laux was also a part of a bounce-back sixth in which he and Jimmy Kirk started the frame with back-to-back singles and eventually scored. Brady Ebbert's sacrifice fly, and Troy Chamberlin's two-out single answered Seton Hill's two-run top of the inning.

"Situational hitting was really good," said Shehan. "We did everything we needed to prior to that to set that up. With two out, Sammy came up, got a good pitch to hit and didn't miss it. That was special. You get into these games against a really good team, and big moments are going to come up. Sometimes you don't get the big two-out hit and it costs you the game. Sometimes you do. It broke it open and gave us some breathing room."

Seton Hill piled up plenty of hits but lacked the timely one. The Griffins totaled 14, including 12 in the first six innings, but Millersville starter Alex Kuehn danced around the danger. Owen Mandler's fourth inning solo homer was the only run the Griffins could manage until the sixth. Kuehn worked 5 1/3 innings, and two of three runs on his line scored after he exited the game.

"Kuehn is a veteran," said Shehan. "He's pitched in those situations. He's going to give up hits because he gives up ground balls. They put balls in play but he minimizes damage by getting ground balls and continues to pitch."

Millersville brought in its stopper, Joe Morrissey, in the sixth to try to preserve the 1-1 tie, but Morrissey gave up back-to-back hits to the top of Seton Hill's lineup. Shehan then turned to freshman Adam Hajdak. Hajdak got Owen Henne to ground out with two on, and with a fastball hitting 94 miles per hour and mixing four pitches, Hajdak retired nine in a row and closed the game in the ninth.

"His stuff is really good," said Shehan. "He's up to 94. Four pitches on the plate. He's got more aggressive and fearless as he has gone. I looked at (pitching coach Eli Nabholz) today and said, 'No matter what happens in this game, these are experiences that are so valuable for these freshmen.' Adam didn't back down."

In the ninth, Hajdak squared off against the top of Seton Hill's lineup. Three-time All-PSAC West First Team pick Jack Whalen popped up to Kirk at first base. Hajdak rallied from a 2-0 count and froze PSAC West Athlete of the Year Brady McGuire with a called strike three. While Henne hit a home run and three straight Griffins reached base, Hajdak got Mandler to pop up for the final out.

Millersville now stands one win away from a Super Regional berth. Seton Hill has reached the Super Regional in each of the prior three seasons and must beat Millersville twice on Saturday to get there again. The postgame message from Shehan to the Marauders remained the same regardless of the weight of Saturday's 11 a.m. game.

"Consistency," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "It's a process. You go out, throw strikes, make places, situationally hit, and get two-out hits. It's been good the last couple of weeks. That doesn't change. It is a big game but the mentality can't change. We'll come out and attack just like we have. We expect the same from our pitchers tomorrow."