The NJCAA DII No. 2-ranked Heartland baseball team carried its momentum into a conference tilt at Vincennes University on Friday and Saturday, as the Hawks swept all four games of the series. Heartland followed that with a 26-13 nonconference victory at Lake Land College on Tuesday to improve to 29-4 overall and 13-3 in conference play on the season.
 
Game 1
The Hawks began their weekend series at Vincennes University with an 8-3 win over the Trailblazers in a nine-inning affair. The visitors struck first in the contest, as Ben Hartl drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Vincennes would take the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs before Heartland scored three more in the sixth to retake a 4-2 advantage. Hartl reached on an infield single to drive in a run, and Sam Antonacci followed that with a sacrifice fly. Gallien Coupet also contributed an RBI on a hit by pitch with the bases juiced. The Hawks would score a run apiece in the seventh and eighth frames, and two more in the ninth to secure the win.
 
Game 2
A series of miscues by the Trailblazers in game two lifted the Hawks to a 10-3 victory so move to 2-0 in the series. After Hartl scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame, an error by Vincennes allowed another tally to cross the plate to make it 2-0. The Trailblazers would narrow the deficit with a run in the second, but the Hawks quickly responded with three runs in the ensuing half-inning. Hartl drove in Jacyk Uehling with a double to left field, and again scored on a wild pitch later in the frame. A sacrifice fly by Corey Boyette allowed Antonacci to cross home to make it 5-1. Hartl and Boyette both added runs on wild pitches, with TJ Williams also driving in a run on an infield hit to make it 8-1. Boyette pushed the lead to 10-1 in the sixth with a two-RBI triple. Jason Buhl tossed a complete game for the Hawks, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits. Buhl also finished with 9 strikeouts.
 
Game 3
A pair of seven-run innings in Saturday's first game ignited the Hawks to a 20-2 victory over the Trailblazers. Boyette, Darian Crisp and Mark Kattula each hit big-flies in the win, with Boyette, Uehling, Matt Santarelli and Aidan McNamee each contributing multi-hit contests for the Hawks. Luke Wright received the win for the Hawks, as the southpaw pitched four scoreless frames. Wright allowed 3 hits and struck-out 6.
 
Game 4
The series finale ended in an offensive-heavy affair, as the Hawks tallied 19 runs on 19 hits in a 19-10 victory to sweep the series over the Trailblazers. Antonacci led the charge for Heartland, as the sophomore shortstop went 4-5 with 4 runs, 2 RBI's and 2 walks. Boyette and Daniel Mosele each finished with 3 hits apiece. Santarelli, who finished going 2-5 with 5 RBI's, delivered a big fly for the Hawks in a seven-run ninth inning to put the game out of reach. Cy Cox received the win for the Hawks, yielding 2 runs on 7 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 2.
 
Game 5
Heartland's offense continued generating production into Tuesday's nonconference game at Lake Land, as the Hawks finished with 26 runs on 27 hits to secure a 26-13 win. After the game was close up until inning eight, as the Hawks maintained a 15-13 lead, an 11-run frame gave the visitors a major cushion in the victory. Eight Hawks finished the contest with multiple hits, with Uehling, Hartl, Antonacci, Boyette, Atkinson and Crisp all supplying at least three base-knocks. Atkinson slugged two home runs for Heartland, while Boyette, Crisp and Kattula each hit grand slams in the offensive explosion. Hartl (5-5, 5 RBI's, 4 runs) also connected on a big fly for the Hawks.
 
The Hawks will return to action at 1 pm Friday for a conference doubleheader at Illinois Central College, before welcoming the Cougars for two games at The Corn Crib at 1 pm Sunday.