The Millikin University baseball team lost its first game in the 2026 NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament Decatur, IL Regional, falling 7-2 to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on May 15 at the Workman Family Baseball Field in Decatur, Illinois.
This loss puts Millikin into an elimination game and highlights the challenges teams face in double-elimination tournament formats. The outcome means Millikin must win its next matchup to remain in contention.
Millikin started strong by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run single from freshman Mick Niebrugge. However, Wisconsin-La Crosse responded with a run in the fourth inning and took control in the fifth when AJ Levy hit a two-run single. Emiliano Ramos extended La Crosse’s lead with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Niebrugge and Leyton Ivers each recorded two hits for Millikin.
Chris Caliclo led Wisconsin-La Crosse offensively by going three-for-five with a double and a triple, scoring twice and driving in one run. Both Ramos and Levy contributed two hits each. Owen Deprez earned the win as pitcher after throwing seven innings while allowing five hits and two runs.
With this result, Millikin will play Wartburg College on Saturday at 11 a.m. in an elimination game. Wisconsin-La Crosse advances to face Baldwin Wallace at 2:30 p.m., after Baldwin Wallace defeated Wartburg 9-3 earlier.
