TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Hanover baseball team earned a split with Rose-Hulman on Sunday afternoon as part of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action. The Panthers took game one 5-4 before falling in game two 9-7.
GAME ONE
Hanover struck first in the contest as freshman
Alex Christie (Greenwood, Ind.) reached on a Rose-Hulman throwing error that saw senior
Zeke Porta (Louisville, Ky.) cross home plate in the top of the first inning.
However, Rose-Hulman responded in the bottom of the second inning tying the contest before the Panthers went to work. Christie provided another clutch hit as he charted an RBI in the top of the third inning scoring Porta.
Sophomore
Jake Brackett (Brownsburg, Ind.) provided the final dagger of the inning as he doubled scoring another Panther run, 3-1.
Hanover tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning as Christie went yard with a homerun that pushed the difference to 5-1.
Rose-Hulman looked to rally as they plated three more runs before the Panthers were able to retire the side and secure the game one victory.
Sophomore
Matthew Alter (Indianapolis, Ind.) claimed the win on the mound as he pitched six complete innings with three strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Hanover carried the momentum into the night cap as they surged ahead to the 2-0 lead. Christie continued his impressive series as he scored junior
Andrew Littlefield (Louisville, Ky.) for the first run of the contest. Brackett plated the innings final run propelling HC in front 2-0.
Rose-Hulman responded adding two runs in the bottom of the first inning. However, Hanover continued to battle at the dish as junior
Charlie Burton (Columbus, Ind.) hit a sacrifice fly scoring Porta for the 3-2 lead.
However, Rose-Hulman went on a scoring frenzy adding runs in the bottom of the third inning, two in the fourth inning, one in the sixth inning, two in the seventh inning and one in the eighth inning for the convincing 8-3 advantage.
The Panthers looked to rally as a grand slam, for the second day in a row, from Porta pulled HC within 9-7 before Rose-Hulman was able to secure the HCAC split.
Hanover returns to action on Saturday, April 24 when they take on Transylvania. First pitch is slated for 12:00 PM.
