2026 NAC Baseball Tournament: Game 5 Recap, Thomas upsets Cobleskill to move on to Championship Game

5/8/2026 8:28:53 PM

BANGOR, Maine – No. 3 seed Thomas College upset No. 2 seed SUNY Cobleskill, 5-3, on Friday to advance to the 2026 NAC Baseball Championship game.

The Terriers will face top-seeded Husson University in the title game on Saturday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m. The matchup will serve as a rematch of the 2025 championship game.

Cobleskill struck first in the top of the second inning after Zach Papanikolatos recorded a hit and later came around to score on a Thomas throwing error, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
The Tigers threatened again in the third when Ryan Lansing doubled to left field and Tony Woodie drew an intentional walk to put runners on first and second. Thomas escaped the inning, however, as Logan Firment flew out to left field to end the threat.

Thomas answered in the bottom of the fourth to even the score at 1-1. Gus Hollen singled to left field and then stole second before Jeremy Spencer followed with a single to move Hollen to third. Hollen later crossed the plate on a double play to tie the game.

Cobleskill regained the lead in the fifth inning with Ryan Lansing and Jake Brazzano aboard. Woodie delivered an RBI single to score Brazzano and put the Tigers back in front, 2-1. The Terriers responded once again in the sixth as Ajay Rychcik singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Gavin Clark. Hollen then came through with an RBI single to plate Rychcik and tie the game at 2-2.

Cobleskill reclaimed the lead in the seventh after Gutierrez doubled down the right field line and later scored on a Brazzano single up the middle, giving the Tigers a 3-2 advantage.
Thomas delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the eighth, scoring three runs to take a 5-3 lead. Cobleskill was unable to answer in the ninth as the Terriers closed out the victory and secured their spot in the championship game.

SUNY Cobleskill’s closes out the 2026 season with a 20-21 overall record.

Thomas Leaders:
  • DJ Cagnina: 2-for-3, 1 BB
  • Ajay Rychcik: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B
  • Gus Hollen: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBIs, SF SB
  • Jeremy Spencer: 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, HBP
  • Gavin Clark: 1-for-3, 1 R, SH, SB
  • Ankit Shah: 8 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
SUNY Cobleskill:
  • Jake Brazzano: 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI
  • Tony Woodie: 2-for-2, 1 RBI, SB
  • Zach Papanikolatos: 1-for-3, SH
  • Ryan Lansing: 2-for-5, SB
  • Tanner Wood: 7.1 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP