VINCENNES, Ind. – The Harper College baseball team opened its season over the weekend down in Vincennes, Indiana. The Hawks played Jackson (MI) College on Saturday afternoon and Glen Oaks Community College and Vincennes University on Sunday, coming home with a 1-2 record.

Game 1 (Saturday, 5 PM CST)-Jackson College 5, Harper College 0

In Saturday's 2015 season opener, the Hawks fell into an early 5-0 hole after two innings and could not muster the offense to come back. Harper managed six hits in the game, led by catcher Nick Leone (Elmhurst, Ill. /York)'s 2-for-3 effort at the plate. Chuck Terron (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) was 1-for-2 at the plate.

Brandon Kaminski (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic ) (0-1) started on the mound and allowed four earned runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work. Brad Demmon (Schaumburg, Ill. /Hoffman Estates) pitched three innings of scoreless relief.

Game 2 (Sunday, 2:30 PM CST)-Harper College 5, Glen Oaks Community College 3

The Hawks used a three-run third inning and some solid pitching to pick up their first victory of the year on Saturday afternoon.

A pair of RBIs from Roy Pettingill (Mount Prospect, Ill. /St. Viator) and Kevin Conrad (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot) gave the Hawks a 4-1 edge. The Vikings clawed back with two runs in the fourth, but Pettingill's RBI double scored Terron in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Harper a 5-3 lead.

Matt Ittersagen (Wheeler, Ind./Wheeler) (1-0) surrendered just two earned runs and struck out five over five innings before handing it over to the bullpen. Nate Paprota (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) pitched a perfect sixth inning, and Austin Royse (Elgin, Ill./Larkin) preserved the win with a scoreless seventh frame.

Game 3 (Sunday, 5 PM CST)-Vincennes University 5, Harper College 3

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run single by Conrad, Harper squandered the lead in the bottom half of the inning by committing two errors that led to three Vincennes runs.

Frank Diaz (Lockport, Ill. /Lockport)'s RBI single in the top of the fourth tied the game at 3-3, but the Blazers scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good. Vincennes starting pitcher Bryant Jackson pitched perfect sixth and seventh innings to preserve the victory.

Harper starter Clint O'Neal (Farmer City, Ill./Blue Ridge) (0-1) suffered the loss in his first college start. O'Neal gave up four earned runs in four innings of work. The Harper bats managed only four hits in the game, led by Diaz's 2-for-3 effort.

Up Next

The Hawks will play a nonconference doubleheader tomorrow at home against Kishwaukee College (4-6). First pitch of game one begins at 2 PM.