SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The No. 17-ranked IU Southeast baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision to the University of Antelope Valley (Calif.) in the 2022 NAIA Baseball Championship Opening Round on Wednesday, ending the 2022 season for the Grenadiers.

IU Southeast (40-15) jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second when Marco Romero hit his fourth home run of the opening round, and eighth of the season, to right for a 1-0 lead.

In the third, IU Southeast threatened again when John Ullom led off with a single and stole second but the next three batters were retired to strand him there.

Starter Brenden Bube shut down the Pioneer attack through the first five innings of the contest. He got some help defensively in the top of the second when Judah Wilbur hit a two-out double and tried to score after an error but he was tagged out at home by Ben Berenda.

Bube retired eight in a row until he hit a batter in the fifth but ended the inning with a fielder's choice in the next at-bat.

The Grenadiers added to their lead in the bottom of the inning when Brandon Boxer was hit by a pitch, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a balk.

The Pioneers (39-12) took the lead in the top of the sixth with a two-out rally. With runners at the corners, Dominic Enbody scored on an error and Rickie Garcia walked to load the bases.

Judah Wilbur followed with a two-run single to give the Pioneers the lead.

Brenden Bube worked six innings and allowed three unearned runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out three.

IU Southeast was retired in order in each of the next three innings.

In the ninth, Trevor Campbell walked, Marco Romero was hit and Ben Berenda was intentionally walked to loaded the bases with one out.

Ryan Isler struck out the next two batters to end the game.

John Ullom had two hits and Marco Romero was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI in his final collegiate game.

IU Southeast combined to win 90 games over the last two seasons, the most in a two-year stretch in program history.