Baseball

HCAC 2026 Baseball Notebook, Week 5

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) baseball teams competed in week five of the 2026 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Baseball Schedule

Athletes of the Week:
Player of the Week:
Jackson McFarland (Terre Haute, Ind.) Earlham College | Utility | Junior - Jackson McFarland helped lead an explosive offense for Earlham in a 4-0 opening weekend of conference play. The junior outfielder went 7-for-11 with four home runs, one double, nine runs scored, and eight RBI. McFarland was walked five times for an OBP of .706 on the weekend.

Pitcher of the Week:
Rhet Heckman (Spencer, Ind.) Anderson University | Pitcher | Freshman - Rhet Heckman went 2-0 after throwing eight scoreless innings last week for Anderson. On the week, Heckman recorded a 0.00 ERA, a .136 opponent batting average and a 1.00 WHIP. In his win against Manchester, Heckman struck out three batters, issued five walks, and gave up no runs on three hits in seven innings. He also retired each of the three batters he faced against Trine.

Notable Performances:
  • Trey Dorton (Westfield, Ind.) Anderson University | Outfield | Senior - Trey Dorton went 7-for-15 with a home run, a double, nine runs scored, five stolen bases, and two RBI as Anderson went 4-1 on the week. Dorton recorded a .467 batting average, a .619 on-base percentage, and a .733 slugging percentage.
  • Alexander James (Vandalia, Ohio) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Senior - Alexander James finished the week with a spotless 0.00 ERA in 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief across three appearances. He went 1-0 and did not allow a single hit as Bluffton defeated Anderson on Sunday and had three strikeouts on the week.On top of his 3 ? innings of hitless pitching, James was part of an all-star quartet that sang the national anthem prior to Sunday's home opener.
  • Peter Torbicki (Las Vegas, Nev.) Berea College | Outfield | Senior - Peter Torbicki hit .538 this weekend with three RBI, two stolen bases, a double, and a run scored.
  • Wes Toth (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) Bluffton University | Outfield | Sophomore - Wes Toth hit .417 with seven RBI and five runs scored. He accounted for all six runs in Bluffton's 10-6 loss at Transylvania on Saturday, going 2-of-4 with a grand slam and a two-run homer. Toth finished the week with a 1.083 slugging percentage.
  • Garret Odey (Alliance, Ohio) Earlham College | Pitcher | Junior - Garret Odey scored two saves this weekend as Earlham opened conference play 4-0. The junior closer pitched the ninth inning in game one on Saturday and held Rose-Hulman hitless with one strikeout. On Sunday, Odey tossed three innings against Hanover, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with one strikeout.
  • Garrett DeHart (Smyrna, Ga.) Franklin College | Shortstop | Sophomore - Garrett DeHart was 7-for-17 over the Grizzlies' four-game weekend, hitting a double in each of the four games along with a home run in the first half of a twinbill against Mount St. Joseph. The senior scored four runs and drove in five, four of those in a Sunday sweep of the Lions.
  • Brayton Belcher (Monrovia, Ind.) Franklin College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Brayton Belcher performed well in a pair of starts this week, the second and third of his career. He held No. 23 Millikin without a run for the first five innings before finally giving two up in the sixth. He then came back to throw five more innings Sunday against Mount St. Joseph and earn his second career win.
  • John Girard (Richmond, Ky.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Senior - John Girard got the game one win against Franklin putting on a stellar performance. The senior pitched seven complete innings scattering three runs on three hits with eight strikeouts. He finished the outing with a 3.86 ERA.
  • Josh Simpson (Bardstown, Ky.) Hanover College | Designated Hitter | Senior - Josh Simpson led Hanover as it swept Franklin, posting a 3-2 week. The senior posted a 1.000 slugging percentage going 9-for-19 with eight runs and three home runs. He finished the week with six RBI and a .474 batting average.
  • AJ Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio) Mount St. Joseph University | Outfield | Sophomore - AJ Meyer was outstanding this weekend, helping the Lions to a 2-2 record. For the weekend he was 7-for-12 with five runs scored, a double, two RBI, and was a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts. He also made a handful of outstanding plays in centerfield including a game-saving diving catch on Saturday deep in left centerfield.
  • Gavin Drooger (Holland, Mich.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Pitcher | Sophomore - Gavin Drooger recorded a win on the mound as Rose-Hulman defeated Berea 14-1. Drooger struck out five batters across 5 2/3 innings, where he allowed just one run. He secured the win, accumulating a 1.67 ERA.
  • Jackson Summers (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Outfield | Junior - Jackson Summers finished the week hitting 8-for-20, while scoring eight runs. Summers scored a career-high four runs in game two against Berea, where he also hit 4-for-5. Over the course of the week, he recorded four doubles, one triple, and three RBI.
  • Drew Bowles (Lexington, Ky.) Transylvania University | Pitcher | Junior - Drew Bowles turned in a dominant performance on the mound in a win over Bluffton. Bowles tossed seven innings, allowing just four hits and three runs, while walking two and striking out 11. 
  • Brenton Alcorn (Georgetown, Ky.) Transylvania University | Infielder | Freshman - Brenton Alcorn turned in an all-around standout week for Transylvania, contributing at the plate, on the basepaths, and defensively at shortstop. In a doubleheader sweep of Bluffton, Alcorn went a combined 5-for-6 with three runs scored, five RBI, and two doubles, while adding a walk, two stolen bases, four assists, and two putouts in Game 2 after recording three assists in Game 1. He continued his strong play against Manchester, going 3-for-8 with two runs, three RBI, and another double across the two games, while totaling six putouts and five assists defensively.
Looking Forward:
HCAC Baseball Standings