The NJCAA DII No. 4-ranked Heartland baseball team began the 2023 campaign with a bang, as the Hawks used a 15-run fifth inning to propel them to a 21-3 opening day victory Wednesday over visiting Carl Sandburg College on a windy day at the Corn Crib.
 
Due to the cold temperatures and frigid wind, both squads started off slow on the offensive side before Heartland's Gallien Coupet scored the game's first run in the fourth inning off of an error. The Chargers would respond in the top-half of the fifth, as Logan Korte lasered a solo shot to tie the game at 1-1.
 
It was the fifth inning where the Hawks seemed to settle in at the plate, as they erupted for 15 runs on 8 hits to jump out in front 16-1. Daniel Mosele started things off for the Hawks with a walk, and center fielder Jacyk Uehling followed that with a double through the left side. Heartland received hits from Uehling, Coupet, Ben Hartl, Mark Kattula, Matt Santarelli and Corey Boyette in the frame.
 
Carl Sandburg was able to add two more runs off of reliever Cy Cox in the sixth, as Korte drove in a run with a groundout and Frank Kelch singled home a run moments later. Cox (1-0) received the win for the Hawks after tossing two innings while yielding 3 runs on 6 hits, and striking out 1.
 
The Hawks added five more runs to their tally in the bottom half of the sixth frame, with Sam Antonacci leading things off with a solo shot down the left field line. Boyette ripped a RBI double later in the inning, while Uehling and Hartl both drove in runs on sacrifice flies to bring the score to 21-3. Reliever Jake Jakubowski came in to shut the door in the seventh inning as the Hawks improved to 1-0 on the young season.
 
Maryland commit Meade Johnson got the start for the Hawks, throwing four innings while yielding no runs on 2 hits, with 1 walk. Johnson also struck out 6.
 
The Hawks return to action at noon on Feb. 26, as they welcome Illinois Valley Community College to the Corn Crib for a doubleheader.