TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology will host the 2016 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament beginning Thursday at Art Nehf Field.
Rose-Hulman completed the regular season with its first outright HCAC title since the 2012 season. The Fightin' Engineers are 26-11 overall and won 10 of their last 13 conference games to secure the regular season championship.
Rose-Hulman leads the HCAC in batting average at .317 and ranks third in the league in doubles with 83. Eight of the team's nine starters have a batting average of over .300, led by Caleb Kissel at .370.
The pitching staff ranks No. 2 in the conference in earned run average at 3.68. The strong starting rotation has included senior Alec McNally (5-0, 1.95 ERA), Daniel Sutherland (5-1, 2.31). Karson Nixon (6-2, 3.95) and Andrew Stull (4-4, 5.20). Junior Cody Sunderhaus has added four saves and 18 strikeouts in 13.1 innings of work with a 0.00 ERA.
Transylvania won seven of its last eight games to move into second place in the final conference standings. The Pioneers finished 21-17 overall and 17-9 in league play by hitting .291 with 56 doubles and 15 home runs. Pitching wise, Transylvania has a 4.85 earned run average.
Earlham set a school record with 27 wins as part of a 27-12 overall record this season. The Quakers finished 16-10 in conference play by batting .300 with 87 doubles and 32 home runs. Earlham also leads the league in pitching earned run average at 3.64.
Manchester earned the No. 4 seed after finishing 22-17 overall and 16-10 in league play. The Spartans led the league with 34 home runs and hit .287 as a team. The pitching staff compiled a 5.23 earned run avearge on the season.
The winner of the four-team tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament that starts Wednesday May 18.
2016 HCAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 12
Game 1, #3 Earlham vs. #2 Transylvania, 3:30 p.m. - LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Game 2, #4 Manchester vs. #1 Rose-Hulman, 7 p.m. - LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Friday, May 13
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, Noon -
LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Game 4: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m. -
LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Game 5: Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 7 p.m. -
LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Saturday, May 14
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, Noon -
LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Game 7: Repeat of Game 6 (if needed), 3:30 p.m. - LIVE STATS / VIDEO
Ticket information:
$8 adults - $5 senior citizens and high school or below students
FREE HCAC students, faculty and staff
