Baseball

HCAC 2024 Baseball Notebook, Week 7

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) baseball teams competed in week seven of the 2024 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Baseball Schedule
 
Athletes of the Week:
Hitter of the Week:
Austin Taylor (Louisville, Ky.) Transylvania University | First Base | Junior - Taylor had a phenomenal weekend at the plate. He batted 10-13 (.769) and had 9 RBI's while leading the Pioneers to their first ever sweep over Rose-Hulman in program history. He was 4-4 in game one, 2-4 in game two, and 4-5 in game three. He had four RBI's in game one, one in game two, and four in game three.
Pitching Athlete of the Week:
Ethan Mason (Cincinnati, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Closer | Sophomore - MSJ sophomore closer Ethan Mason was dominant this weekend, helping the Lions secure a three-game sweep over Earlham. In game one on Friday night, he pitched a ninth inning allowing only a single hit to get the save in a two run game. Then came back to get a four out save in game one on Saturday. He entered with the tying run on second base and two-outs in the eighth inning. He struck out the Earlham hitter, then finished it off with a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his second save of the weekend.

Notable Performances:
Hitting Athletes:
  • Jed Downham (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Anderson University | Catcher | Senior - Jed Downham went 4-for-7 with 2 homers, 3 RBI and 3 runs as Anderson split Saturday's doubleheader with Hanover. He finished with a slashline of .571/.625/1.429 In Game 1, Downham went 2-for-3 with a homer, 2 RBI and a walk. He then went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in Game 2.
  • Justin Maurer (Springfield, Ohio) Bluffton University | First Base | Junior - Justin blistered the ball to the tune of a .591 batting average with 13 hits in 22 at bats. He slugged 1.000 thanks to 6 doubles and a home run. His on-base percentage was .667 as the week included 3 free passes and 2 hit by pitches. Maurer led the Beavers to a 4-2 week, including a sweep of rival Defiance College. He scored 11 runs and drove in 7.
  • Sean Jeffries (Gilbert, Ariz.) Earlham College | Infield | Sophomore - Sean Jeffries posted a .500 batting average this week with 11 hits, two doubles, two home runs and six RBI. Jeffries added eight runs and did not strike out in 22 at bats on the week.
  • Tysen Lipscomb (Wapahani, Ind.) Franklin College | Outfield | Senior - Went 11-for-21 with five doubles, nine runs driven in and nine runs scored as Franklin went 4-1 in HCAC play for the week…went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four driven in to open the week in a win over Defiance…closed out the week going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and a run driven in as Franklin won their series with Manchester…has recorded at least one hit in all 20 games this season.
  • Reid Douglas (Rossville, Ind.) Hanover College | Right Field | Junior - Douglas led the Panthers in a split with Anderson. Over the course of three games, the junior posted a 1.300 slugging percentage going 5-for-10 at the dish with seven RBI. He added two home runs, a pair of doubles, and drew five walks.
  • Ian Nuckles (Martinsville, Ind.) Manchester University | Pitcher/Infield | First Year - Ian Knuckles hit.385 with 5 RBI and 7 runs scored with 3 homeruns and a double as the Spartans went 2-2 on the win against Franklin and Hope. The first-year currently has a .692 slugging percentage and a .367 on base percentage for the season.
  • Andrew Harrison (Lebanon, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Third Base | Junior - Lions junior third baseman Andrew Harrison continued his stellar run of play in the Lions sweep of Earlham. In game one of the series he was finally retired after reaching base in 15 consecutive plate appearances. For the week he was 7-for-14 with 2 doubles, a triple, 5 RBI and 5 runs scored adding a walk.
  • Mark Serindak (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Third Base/Outfield | Sophomore - Serdinak led the Fightin' Engineers at the dish with a 4-11 hitting week with two extra-base knocks including his first home run of the season. Serdinak added four RBIs, two runs scored, and three walks en route to a .563 OBP, .727 SLG, and 1.290 OPS.
Pitching Athletes:
  • Carter Knoblauch (New Haven, Ind.) Anderson University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Carter Knoblauch earned the win in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against Hanover after coming in for 4.1 innings of relief. He issued 2 walks and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits in 4.1 innings.
  • Ben Eisenhauer (San Jose, Calif.) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Junior - Eisenhauer finished the week with a 0.00 ERA in 4.1 innings of relief. He struck out 3 and allowed just 3 hits while limiting the opposition to a .188 batting average, earning a Good Friday victory over Defiance.
  • Phoenix Guzzi (Rockwood, Mich.) Earlham College | Pitcher | Senior - In two appearances this week, Phoenix Guzzi recorded eight strikeouts with a save and 10 innings pitched. The senior fanned five in a four-inning save at Bluffton. He then started against MSJ with three strikeouuts after going six complete innings. Guzzi left the mound in line for the win.
  • Matt Johnson (Griffith, Ind.) Franklin College | Pitcher | Junior - Went the distance for Franklin in their series opening win over Manchester on Friday, giving up four earned runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts in an 8-5 win.
  • Chris Hautman (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Junior - Hautman led the Panthers to a split at Anderson as the junior claimed his third victory of the season sitting at 3-0 overall. He pitched four complete innings in the team's 15-4 victory. He surrendered just two hits allowing no runs with three strikeouts.
  • Rocco Hanes (Ossian, Ind.) Manchester University | Catcher/Utility | Junior - Rocco Hanes threw 4.2 innings, allowing just 4 hits while striking out 8 batters as Manchester earned a 14-4 victory over Franklin in game two of Friday's doubleheader.
  • Ian Kline (frederick, Md.) Rose-Hulman Insitute of Technology | Pitcher | Senior - Kline pitched six innings in the loss to Transylvania on Saturday, and he did not allow a run in the first five innings pitched before giving up four in the sixth. He struck out six batters in total on the day.
  • Matt Armstrong (Louisville, Ky.) Transylvania University | Pitcher | Senior - Armstrong earned his 6th save of the season in the win over Rose-Hulman. He pitched 2 innings in relief, striking out 2 batters and allowing just 1 hit.

 
Looking Forward:
HCAC Baseball Standings