Heartland baseball kept its season alive this past weekend, as the Hawks won three out of four games to win the Region 24 Pod A Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Hawks advance to the NJCAA Central District Tournament as the top seed, which will be played at The Corn Crib Thursday through Saturday.
 
Game 1
After falling behind early in its opening game of the tournament on Friday against ninth-seeded Vincennes University, top-seeded Heartland secured a walk-off, 10-9 victory over the Trailblazers. Vincennes opened the contest with four runs in the fourth frame to open up a 4-0 advantage.
 
The Hawks would respond with five tallies in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. Kaden Griffitts and Jesse Contreras each delivered two-run singles to tie the contest before Brady Davidson grounded into a fielder's choice to score another tally for the home team.
 
Vincennes would score three times in the sixth and two more in the seventh to regain the lead at 9-5. The Hawks took little time to take the lead back in the bottom of the frame, as Beau Polickey singled home a run before a Max Hennemann sacrifice fly made it 9-7. Griffitts and Contreras followed with RBI-singles once again to tie the contest at 9-9.
 
After holding the Trailblazers scoreless in the eighth and ninth, the Hawks had a chance to win the contest in the bottom of the final inning. Hennemann led-off the frame with a single, and eventually advanced to third before TJ Williams hit a sacrifice fly to left field to give the Hawks a walk-off, 10-9 victory in game one.
 
Michael Vitellaro secured the win for the Hawks in two innings of relief, yielding just one hit and two walks. Contreras, Polickey, Griffitts and Cale Steinbaugh each had two hits to pace the Hawks offensively.
 
Game 2
Solid play on both sides of the ball ignited the Hawks to a 14-0 victory in game two Friday over eighth-seeded Spoon River in five innings. The Hawks scored six runs in the first inning, and four tallies apiece in the third and fourth frames.
 
Davidson finished going 4 for 4 with three runs scored, including a solo home run, to lead the Heartland offense. Williams had three hits for the Hawks. Jacob O'Day was dominant on the mound once again, yielding two hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
 
Game 3
Heartland returned to The Corn Crib for a rematch with the Snappers on Saturday morning for the championship game. Spoon River would ultimately get its revenge with a 12-5 victory to force a winner-take-all contest Saturday afternoon.
 
Two first-inning home runs gave the Snappers a 5-0 lead. An RBI-double by Davidson gave the Hawks a run back in the bottom of the frame, but the Snappers scored two more tallies in the third and four more in the fourth to open up an 11-1 advantage.
 
An RBI-groundout by Contreras in the fifth made it 11-2. Spoon River scored once in the ninth before the Hawks plated three runs in the bottom of the frame. Williams and Adam Price finished with two hits apiece for the Hawks.
 
Game 4
After struggling against Spoon River in the opening game of the day Saturday, the Hawks erupted for 23 runs on 15 hits to take home the Region 24 Pod A championship. Steinbaugh launched two long balls for the Hawks in the contest, with Davidson and Patrick Gardner each adding a solo shot. Nate Cooley had three hits, including a double and a triple.
 
The Hawks scored in all nine frames in the contest. Jimmy Amptmann picked up the win on the mound in six innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, with one walk and five strikeouts.
 
Following the tournament, five Hawks were awarded for their conference and region accomplishments. Williams and Corey Boyette were named to both the All-Region and All-Conference first teams as outfielders. Davidson was named First Team All-Conference, while Max Hennemann was selected on the second team. O'Day received All-Region and Second Team All-Conference honors.
 
Heartland will open the Central District Tournament with a face-off with Illinois Central College at Noon Thursday at The Corn Crib.