LONDON, Ont. - Laurier's baseball season ended heartbreakingly Saturday morning, losing a must-win game at the OUA Far West Regional to Western, 4-2. 

Having split a pair of games on Friday with a win over Waterloo and a loss against Windsor, the Golden Hawks faced the Mustangs at Labatt Park needing a victory to advance to Saturday afternoon's final which would determine who would qualify for the 2024 OUA Championships in Ajax.

Laurier got on the board in the first inning after Ash Abols singled, scoring one run.

Western tied the game at one in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on a Golden Hawks fielding error. 

Laurier re-took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Larmer singled, scoring one run, to give them a leg up, 2-1.

The scoreline remained in the Golden Hawks' favour until the ninth inning when Western scored three unanswered runs, retaking the lead for good. Another Laurier fielding error scored two runs, and Atticus Carlyle Dewys singled for Western, plating a security run.

Tyler Kaal took the loss for Laurier. The pitcher spun a gem for the purple and gold, going eight innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits, striking out two, and walking one.