HANOVER, Ind. – The Earlham College baseball team clinched the final spot in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament with an 18-7 victory over Hanover College on Thursday.
After two strikeouts to open to game, the Earlham offense came to life. The Quakers hit four singles and drew three walks as six runs crossed the plate. Junior Cody Krumlauf and Matt Barger each two-RBI hits. In total, 10 Quakers came to the plate.
The Panthers (13-23, 10-14 HCAC) got back two runs in the first inning, but Earlham kept up the offense. Krumlauf picked up his second hit of the game in the third inning, a solo home run. Sophomore Drew Dietz and Barger both reached base following the home run, setting the table for juniors Nate Lynch and Brennan Laird to drive them in with base hits.
The fourth inning marked the end of the day for Hanover started Nick Brunner, who took the loss allowing nine earned runs on ten hits with five walks. The Quaker offense wouldn't be silenced, however, as Earlham put up four runs on three hits.
Hanover scored three runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth making the score 13-7, but the Panthers would get no closer as Earlham added three runs in the seventh.
Junior Eric Elkus scored the last two runs of the game with a home run in the ninth. The home run was Elkus's ninth of the season, passing Ryan Hayes (2013) for the most home runs in a single season in program history.
Junior Howie Smith improved to 6-4 with the win, striking out seven in as many innings. Junior John Cornett did not allow a hit in the final two innings in relief.
Earlham tallied 18 hits as a team including four from senior Brandon Smalling. Barger and Krumlauf each finished 3-5 with four RBIs. Lynch, Elkus, and Deitz finished with two hits while Laird added three stolen bases to his conference-leading total.
Chase Sizemore finished 4-5 with three runs scored to lead Hanover in defeat.
With Anderson's 5-3 loss to Defiance in 11 innings, Earlham (25-12, 14-10 HCAC) clinches a berth in HCAC Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Quakers will close out their regular season with a doubleheader against Hanover tomorrow (Friday).