Baseball

2023 HCAC Baseball All Conference and Awards Announced

CARMEL, Ind. – Following the 2023 season, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the Baseball major award winners and members of the All-Conference Teams.
 
Following a stellar senior campaign, Jonathon LaGuire-Cruz (Lafayette, Ind.) from Franklin College was named the 2023 HCAC Player of the Year in a vote among coaches. LaGuire-Cruz led the league in several statistical categories, including OPS (1.313), runs (35), homeruns (10), total bases (72), and slugging percentage (.828). The outfield also had top-10 league stats in batting average with .391, hits at 34, RBI with 30, stolen bases (15) and on-base-percentage at .485. LaGuire-Cruz started in all 22 of Franklin’s conference contests.
 
On the mound, it was Hanover College’s Marcus Goodpaster (Indianapolis, Ind.) who was tabbed as the 2023 HCAC Baseball Pitcher of the Year. The junior pieced together an impressive campaign, going 5-0 in five starts with 41 innings pitched. He was the league leader with a 1.54 ERA, picking up 35 strikeouts in 2023.
 
Manchester University had a fresh face earn recognition, with Joel Kennedy (Mooreland, Ind.) voted as the 2023 HCAC Baseball Newcomer of the Year. The first year was a leader at the plate, with a top-10 mark in conference in both batting average (.378) and homeruns (5). He had a OPS of 1.041, started in 16 games, seeing action in 18 conference contests. He racked up 31 hits, 21 RBI, 13 runs, and five doubles. He also had a .622 slugging percentage and a .419 on base percentage.
 
Bluffton skipper James Grandey led the Beavers to a third place regular season finish, leading Bluffton back to the postseason. The Beavers amassed a 22-18 regular season record and a 14-8 mark in league play. For his efforts, Grandey was voted as the 2023 HCAC Coach of the Year by his peers.
 
Player of the Year: Jonathon LaGuire-Cruz, Franklin College
Pitcher of the Year: Marcus Goodpaster, Hanover College
Newcomer of the Year:  Joel Kennedy, Manchester University
Coach of the Year: James Grandey, Bluffton University
 
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team, and Honorable Mention. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.

For more information on HCAC Softball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
 
First Team
Jake Baumgartner Second Base Bluffton University
Alex Christie First Base Hanover College
Trey Dorton Outfield Anderson University
Jacob Dupps Third Base Hanover College
Dillon Fischer Pitcher Earlham College
Marcus Goodpaster Pitcher Hanover College
Jaden Jaques Pitcher Bluffton University
Joel Kennedy Designated Hitter Manchester University
Jonathan LaGuire-Cruz Outfield Franklin College
Nathan Lancianese Outfield Earlham College
Tysen Lipscomb Catcher Franklin College
Ethan Mason Utility Mount St. Joseph University
Maddox Manes Relief Pitcher Franklin College
Justin Reed Shortstop Anderson University
AJ Sanders Shortstop Franklin College
Sean Sullivan Outfield Franklin College
Zach White Utility Manchester University
Jackson Young Pitcher Franklin College
 
Second Team
Connor Arnold Pitchers Transylvania University
Connor Farnsley Designated Hitter Hanover College
Connor Gordon Third Base Anderson University
Rocco Hanes Catcher Manchester University
Carter Hooks Pitcher Manchester University
Sean Jeffries Second Base Earlham College
Matthew Johnson Pitcher Franklin College
Charlie Jones Second Base Anderson University
Kade Kline Outfield Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Andy Krajecki Outfield Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Brennan Perry Relief Pitcher Transylvania University
Grahm Reedy Outfield Anderson University
Tyler Smitherman First Base Anderson University
Landen Southern Pitcher Anderson University
Jack Towell Shortstop Bluffton University
Trent Youngblood Outfield Transylvania University
 
Honorable Mention
Jacob Danneman Infield Hanover College
Max Fries Outfield Earlham College
Justin Maurer First Base Bluffton University
Henry Mitcham Infield Transylvania University
Cohen Nies Pitcher Defiance College
Carter Owen Third Base Mount St. Joseph University
Aidan Stevens Outfield Manchester University
Josh Vischer DH/ Second Base Defiance College
Griffin Wolf First Base/Outfield Anderson University
Noah Wood Outfield Franklin College
Michael Yager Pitcher Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology