Fightin’ Engineers Top Ravens in HCAC Tournament

Third-seeded Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology topped the fourth-seeded Anderson University baseball team by a score of 8-5 during the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament on Friday at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in Kokomo.

During the top of the third inning, Justin Reed provided an RBI double to put the Ravens (20-21) on the board. Justin Reed stole third base and a throwing error on the play allowed Justin Reed to score.

In the bottom of the fourth, Adam Taylor connected on a two-run home run to allow the Fightin' Engineers (27-12) to tie the game at 2-2. Colter Couillard-Rodak connected on a two-run single to put Rose-Hulman ahead 4-2.

Jake Stank knocked in Justin Reed in the fifth on a fielder's choice.

Harrison Finch belted an RBI double for Rose-Hulman in the sixth.

In the seventh, Brett Tuttle stole third base and scored on a throwing error on the same play. Couillard-Rodak smashed a solo home run. Andy Krajecki then produced a run-scoring double to give the Fightin' Engineers an 8-3 lead.

Stank added a run for the Ravens in the eighth after scoring on a balk.

Tyler Smitherman ripped an RBI double for the Ravens in the ninth to account for the final run of the game.

Connor Gordon went 2-for-4 for the Ravens. Smitherman finished 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Grahm Reedy went 2-for-5. Justin Reed contributed an RBI double and Stephen Vickery provided a double. Jed Downham and Stank rounded out Anderson's 10 hits with singles.

Couillard-Rodak went 3-for-5 with a homer and 3 RBI's for the Fightin' Engineers. Taylor finished 1-for-1 with a two-run blast, two walks and two hit by pitches. Finch finished 2-for-5 with two doubles while Krajecki went 2-for-4 with a double. Tuttle finished 2-for-6 while Nathan Burke rounded out Rose-Hulman's 14 hits with a single.

Schuyler Wilcox (3-2) earned the win. He struck out three batters, issued a walk and allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. Matthew Rouse started the game for Rose-Hulman. He fanned three batters, conceded three walks and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits in three innings. Taylor walked zero batters and yielded one run on two hits in one inning.

Walker Stull (3-4) suffered the loss. He punched out six batters, yielded two walks and scattered four runs on seven hits in three and one-third innings. Evan Doan fanned three batters, issued three walks and allowed one run on two hits in two and one-third innings. Logan Nickel struck out a batters, conceded zero walks and surrendered three runs on four hits in one inning. Cole Whitlock retired the only batter he faced. Chandler Wise walked a batter and allowed zero runs on one hit in one inning.