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HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. (4/27/2014) -- The University of Detroit Mercy men's golf team did not go away quietly as the Titans posted good score after good score in pursuit of an eighth conference title, but UDM just could not close the gap as the red, white and blue claimed second place at the Horizon League Championship. The three-day, three-round event came to an end on Sunday afternoon at the Par 72, 6,770-yard El Campeon Course at the Mission Inn Resort.
 
Detroit did all it could do on the final 18, totaling a 296 for the second-straight round and finishing with an 895 (303-296-296), just three shots in back of Cleveland State (892). It was the Titans' seventh career runner-up performance to go with their HL best seven titles and Detroit has now finished in the top three 12 times in the last 16 years. Also, UDM and CSU have now won 10 of the last 14 conference championships.
 
"I am disappointed that we lost, but I am so proud of the way the guys played this weekend," said head coach Mark Engel. "This was a young team, but they played so hard and they made a great run to get ahead after 15 holes."
 
Senior Brendan Leonard and freshman Spencer Lendzion earned All-Tournament with top-seven finishes as Leonard was runner-up at 220 (76-74-70) and Lendzion was third with a 221 (71-74-76).
 
Leonard – who was All-Tournament last season - had the best round of the event for Detroit with a 2-under 70 as he knocked in five birdies and 10 pars. He started the day off with back-to-back birdies and played the last 12 holes 2-under, even tying for the tournament lead at one point on the back nine. 
 
The second-place performance was the best finish by a Titan since David Byrne was medalist in 2007. The two-time All-Horizon League golfer also ended his career with a 75.13 average – fourth in school history - and had a career-best 73.64 average this season – sixth in the school record book.
 
"He was just a man on a mission and he wanted to win so bad," said Coach Engel. "He played his heart out this weekend and this entire season and I feel so bad that we weren't able to get the win for him."
 
Lendzion stayed the course on Sunday playing with the final group and posting a 4-over 76. With the championship Sunday pin placement, he had nine pars and three birdies and he had the best finish by a Titan freshman at the HL event since Byrne won it as a rookie in 2007. Overall, he carded a season-low 1-under 71 on Friday and his 221 was also a season low by 11 shots.
 
"He deserved to be All-Tournament and it was just a great week for him," added Coach Engel. "He played his game and he is part of a great group of guys we have coming back."
 
Both sophomore Wil Wittmann and freshman Kyle Gaines were just outside of All-Tournament honors as the duo shared ninth with a 227. Wittmann shot a 2-over 74 on the final 18 as he tallied 10 pars and three birdies, besting his HL 54-hole score from a year ago by four strokes. In the tournament, he had 33 pars and five birdies.
 
Gaines carded a 4-over 76 on Sunday as he had 10 pars and a pair of birdies, while playing the last 10 holes even. The impressive rookie had eight birdies on the weekend with 30 pars and his second and third round scores gave Detroit a big boost to charge up the standings.
 
Sophomore Josh Shaw had his best round of the weekend with a 5-over 77 and placed 27th with a 243 (83-83-77).
 
"Kyle has won a state championship in high school and he knows how to win and Wil is a really good player," said Coach Engel. "Josh came back strong today and like I said, I am disappointed we didn't win, but I have no faults with this team. They played their heart out."
 
Youngstown State finished third with a 911, while Valparaiso was fourth with a 915. Wright State took fifth (940), Green Bay sixth (945) and Oakland seventh (969).
 
Along with Leonard and Lendzion, CSU's Andrew Bailey was All-Tournament and medalist at 218. Also All-Tournament was Oakland's Evan Bowser (223), Michael Balcar of Cleveland State (224), Bryan Leo of Youngstown State (224), Brendan Byrne of CSU (225) and Brandon Pluchinsky of YSU (225).