Ravens Drop Heartbreaker to Lions in Day 1 of HCAC Tournament

The fifth-seeded Anderson University baseball team dropped a heartbreaker to fourth-seeded Mount St. Joseph University by a score of 11-10 during Day 1 of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament on Thursday at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in Kokomo.

In the bottom of the first inning, Jake Lawson ripped an RBI triple to put the Lions (21-19) on the board. Ethan Mason and Jordan Harley singled in runs to make the score 3-0.

The Ravens (23-18) plated five runs in the top of the second to take a 5-3 lead. Justin Reed smashed a solo home run. With the bases loaded, Mount St. Joseph's center fielder dropped a fly ball to allowed Griffin Wolf and Jed Downham to score. Brendan Tabor was credited with an RBI sacrifice fly on the play. Cooper Webb turned in an RBI groundout and Trey Dorton singled in a run.

The bottom of the second marked the first of three weather delays totaling at 59 minutes with this delay being an 11-minute rain delay. Following the delay, Brennan Martin cranked a solo homer to trim Mount St. Joseph's deficit to one.

In the fifth, Harley cracked an RBI single to tie the game. Martin then belted a two-run double to give the Lions a 7-5 lead.

The Ravens responded right back in the sixth. Tabor delivered a solo homer to cut Mount St. Joseph's lead to one. Dorton knocked in Webb on a sacrifice fly to even the game at 7-7.

A 41-minute lightning delay occurred in the top of the seventh, but both teams finished the seventh knotted at 7-7.

The final delay was a seven-minute rain delay in the bottom of the eight. Lawson managed to single in a run to put Mount St. Joseph ahead 8-7.

Dorton led off the top of the ninth with a double. Reed then ripped a run-scoring double to tie the game at 8-8. Wolf then crushed a two-run blast to right field to give the Ravens a 10-8 lead.

Harley led off the bottom of the ninth with a single and advanced to second on an error on the same play. Kevin Schaaf drew a walk. After Anderson struck out a batter, Jake Sanders was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Anton Mere singled in Harley and on the same play, Schaaf scored on an error to tie the game with runners on second and third with one out. Lawson was intentionally walked to create a force at any base. Andrew Harrison hit a ball to the pitcher, who made the throw to home, but Sanders beat the force play to seal the win for the Ravens.

Reed went 2-for-5 with a homer, a double and two RBI to lead the Ravens. Wolf smashed a two-run homer, going 2-for-5. Tabor finished 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI. Dorton went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Webb turned in an RBI double. Connor Gordon and Tyler Smitherman rounded out Anderson's 11 hits with singles.

Martin went 3-for-4 with a homer, a double and 3 RBI to pace the Lions. Harley finished 3-for-5 with two RBI. Lawson contributed a triple and two RBI, going 2-for-5 at the plate. Mere went 2-for-4 while Mason finished 2-for-5. Harrison and Matt Brankamp rounded out Mount St. Joseph's 14 hits with singles.

Ryan Caulfield (1-1) picked up the win for the Lions. He struck out two batters, issued a walk and conceded three runs on four hits in three and two-thirds innings. Matt Frye fanned seven batters, yielded three walks and allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits in five and one-third innings.

Walker Stull (1-1) was hit with the loss. He punched out three batters, issued four walks and surrendered four runs on four hits in one and one-third innings. Dalton Wasson fanned five batters, yielded zero walks and gave up zero runs on one hit in three innings. Landen Southern struck out five batters, issued four walks and allowed seven runs on nine hits in four innings.

Anderson takes on sixth-seeded Franklin College (20-21) in the HCAC Tournament on Friday at 10 a.m. at Kokomo Municipal Stadium. The winner of the 10 a.m. game is scheduled to play again at 7:45 p.m.