CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Baseball teams competed in week eleven of the 2025 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Baseball Schedule
 
Athletes of the Week:
Hitter of the Week:
Connor O'Connell (Fort Myers, Fla.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Infield | Junior - Connor O'Connell was exceptional for the Fightin' Engineers as they went 3-1 on the week with a win over Wabash and a series win over Transylvania 2-1. O'Connell finished the week 10-16 at the plate for a .625 batting average with five runs scored and six RBIs. O'Connell also totaled one double, two triples, and one home run to help the Fightin' Engineers earn a top-three seed in the HCAC Tournament.

Pitching Athlete of the Week:
Rocco Hanes (Ossian, Ind.) Manchester University | Pitcher | Senior - Hanes arm was a force to be reckoned with in Game One of Saturday's Doubleheader. Hanes threw for the Spartans into the 10th inning where he finished with 10 innings pitched, 12 strikeouts, and only one earned run. He finished the game with a .90 ERA. Hanes also hit for the Spartans this weekend with a .333 average and 3 RBIs to help clinch a share of the HCAC regular season title.

Notable Performances
Hitting Athletes

• Zac Stawski (Granger, Ind.) Anderson University | Outfield | Sophomore - Zac Stawski blasted the go-ahead home run in the top of the 10th inning in Game 1 against Hanover as Anderson took a 5-4 win in Game 1. He went 5-for-11 with a homer a 6 RBI. Stawski posted a .454 batting average, a .571 on-base percentage and a .727 slugging percentage for the week.
• Kayden Smith (Mogadore, Ohio) Bluffton University | Designated Hitter | First Year - Smith went 4-of-9 with 2 homers and 4 RBI in the three-game series at Manchester. He hit .444 with a 1.111 slugging percentage and scored two runs. Smith hit 3 homers in his last four games to lead the Beavers in home runs this season. His 2-out homer in the ninth inning knotted the game at 2-2 and Bluffton went on to down the Spartans in 11 innings.
• Jonathan Jimenez (Rising Sun, Ind.) Earlham College | Outfield | Junior - Jonathan Jimenez went 4-8 this weekend against MSJ with one double, one RBI, four stolen bases and two runs scored.
• Andrew Wallace (Jasper, Ind.) Franklin College | First Base | Senior - Andrew appeared at the plate 11 times through the three-game series against Berea. He recorded six hits (two being doubles), four runs, three RBIs, and one base on ball, stolen base, and home run. His three runs scored in game one on 5/2 ties his career game high.
• Reid Douglas (Rossville, Ind.) Hanover College | Catcher | Senior - Douglas led the Panthers with a .909 slugging percentage and a .545 batting average. He tallied six RBI going 6-for-11 at the plate with a run scored and a home run.
• MItchell Cobb (Pendleton, Ind.) Manchester University | Outfield | Senior - Cobb was a vital part at the back end of the lineup this week, going 5-11 in the Spartans 3-game series and helping the Manchester capture a share of the HCAC Regular season title for the first time in 11 years. Cobb hit .454 over the weekend with a double and two runs scored. Cobb also finished the week with a 1.000 Fielding Percentage and one outfield assist on a laser throw from right field to home plate to prevent a run.
• Ethan Dillon (Louisville, Ky.) Transylvania University | Outfield | First Year - In the weekend matchup against Rose-Hulman, Ethan Dillon continues to be hot at the plate. Throughout the series, Dillon went 6 of 10 with 3 runs, 1 HR, 1 double, and 5 RBIs.

Pitching Athletes

• Justin Schassburger (Dyer, Ind.) Anderson University | Pitcher | Senior -  Justin Schassburger came in for two key relief appearances during this weekend's sweep against Hanover. Schassburger came up with the game tied in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded with one out and did not surrender the game-ending run. He eventually got the win in the 10th inning. In Game 3, Schassburger threw three scoreless innings to pick up the save.
• Nathan Young (Copley, Ohio) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Senior - Young pitched a gem, starting game one at Manchester on Friday and going nine innings. He allowed only one earned run off six hits to go along with a pair of strikeouts. Young did not factor in the decision as the Beavers won 3-2 in 11 innings. He finished the week with a 1.00 ERA and held the opposition to a paltry .194 batting average.
• Kyle Jeffries (Gilbert, Ariz.) Earlham College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Kyle Jeffries threw five innings in the opening matchup this weekend against Mount St. Joseph. The sophomore allowed five earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in the win.
• Matthew Johnson (Griffith, Ind.) Franklin College | Pitcher | Senior - Matthew pitched in six innings in game one against Berea during Franklin's three game series. During his six, he struck out a season high 10 batters, allowed four hits, three base on balls, and two runs.
• John Girard (Richmond, Ky.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Junior - John Girard led the Panthers making one appearance at Anderson. He posted a 3.00 ERA through six complete innings and allowed just two earned runs on seven hits. Girard also added five strikeouts.
• Jonathan Olinger (Dalton City, Ill.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Pitcher | Senior - Jonathan Oliger came up big for the Fightin' Engineers in their doubleheader sweep against the Transylvania Pioneers on Senior Day. The senior closer earned two saves as Rose-Hulman relied on him to finish both games of the twin bill. He finished the day pitching 1.2 innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced. The wins over the Pioneers solidified Rose-Hulman's spot as one of the top three seeds in the HCAC Tournament. Oliger now ranks third in the school record book with 14 career saves.
• Drew Bowles (Lexington, Ky.) Transylvania University | Pitcher | Sophomore - In Drew Bowles' outing against Rose-Hulman, Bowles pitched 6 total innings. In his showing, Drew gave up 2 runs, 1 ER, 3 BB, and 3 strikeouts.

 
Looking Forward:
HCAC Baseball Standings