Baseball Splits Day One at HCAC Tournament

KOKOMO, Indiana - The Mount St. Joseph baseball team got off to a solid start with the walk-off win in their first game of the 2024 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament vs. Anderson. They then dropped the final game of the day another hard fought contest against Hanover.

In game one of the day the Lions dealt with three separate stoppages of play due to weather, playing a 4:07 minute game and eventually winning with a three-run ninth inning. 

The Lions jumped out to an early lead with a three-run bottom of the first inning. Anton Mere led the game off with a bunt-hit and would come around to score the first run of the game on an RBI triple from Jake Lawson. Ethan Mason and Jordan Harley each delivered an RBI single in the inning. 

Anderson bounced back with a five-spot against Matt Frye in the second inning to take the lead. The Mount quickly bounced back with one in the bottom of the inning as the teams returned from a rain delay and Brennan Martin drilled a solo homerun to right field. 

The score remained 5-4 in favor of the Ravens until the Lions scored three times in the bottom of the fifth. Andrew Harrison and Ethan Mason led off with back-to-back singles, and Jackson Gutzwiller walked to load the bases. Harley then delivered his second RBI single of the game, an out later Martin delivered a two-run double into left field. 

Anderson tied the game again in the top of the seventh with a solo homerun. The score would remain tied until Anderson exploded in the top of the ninth with three runs and looked to be in control of the game. The Lions then scored four times in the bottom of the inning to get the walk off win.

Ryan Caulfield got the win out of the bullpen for the Lions.

The Lions played back-to-back games as they squared off with the #1 seed the Hanover Panthers. The Lions came up short in that one as they were unable to overcome a 6-run seventh by the Panthers, falling 10-7. The Lions had 13-hits in the game Tyler Herbers, Kevin Schaaf, Harley and Martin all had two in the game. 

UP NEXT: 
The Lions will face the loser of the Transylvania vs. Rose-Hulman game that is taking place tomorrow morning. The Lions game is scheduled for a 4:45 start in Kokomo.