BB 2.25.25 Cover
10
Winner Harper College HARPER COLLEGE
2
Heartland Community College HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Winner
Harper College HARPER COLLEGE
10
Final
2
Heartland Community College HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Harper College HARPER COLLEGE 1 0 4 0 2 0 3 10 11 0
Heartland Community College HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 7 1

W: Hulligan, Mason (1-0) L: M. Belbot (0-1)

7
Winner Harper College HARPER C 1-0
5
Heartland Community HEARTLAN 2-4
Winner
Harper College HARPER C
1-0
7
Final
5
Heartland Community HEARTLAN
2-4
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Harper College HARPER C 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 2 7 6 1
Heartland Community HEARTLAN 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 5 6 1

W: Drtina, Nick (1-0) L: P. Gardner (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Harper Stuns #4 Heartland in DII Debut

Normal, IL: The Hawks baseball team wasted no time making a statement in their first-ever games at the NJCAA Division II level. Facing off against the #4 ranked Heartland Hawks at the Corn Crib in Normal, IL, Harper entered Tuesday's doubleheader as heavy underdogs. However, they quickly proved they belonged, delivering a shocking 10-2 victory in Game 1 before securing a hard-fought 7-5 win in extra innings in Game 2.

Joey Glozier led the offensive charge with a dominant performance, tallying five hits across both games while driving in four runs in each contest, including two home runs. Harper's pitching and defense also held strong against a powerful Heartland lineup, sealing a pair of statement wins to kick off the season.

Game 1 - Harper Dominates in Statement Victory 
Harper wasted no time making an impact in their NJCAA DII debut, taking down #4 Heartland with a dominant 10-2 victory in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader.  

Harper got on the board in the first inning when Nick Drtina ripped a double to bring home Dominic Jacoby. Heartland responded in the second, threatening with a leadoff triple against Harper starter Mason Hulligan. Despite walking two batters to load the bases, Hulligan limited the damage to just one run, forcing a key flyout and two groundouts to escape the jam with the game tied at 1-1.  

Harper's offense exploded in the top of the third. Jacoby launched a two-run home run to score Michael Mango, giving Harper a 3-1 lead. Spencer Geake added to the rally with a sacrifice fly that plated Drtina, and an error later allowed Glozier to cross the plate, extending the lead to 5-1.  

The Hawks continued to pour it on in the fifth. Jacoby stole second and came home on a Glozier single, padding the advantage. Then, in the top of the seventh, Glozier put the game completely out of reach with a three-run homer, scoring Jacoby and Mango to make it 10-2.  

On the mound, Hulligan delivered a strong performance, allowing just two hits and one earned run over four innings to earn the win. Harper's defense was sharp, committing only one minor error, and catcher Kevin Geake played a pivotal role by throwing out two baserunners.  

Game 2 - Harper Completes Stunning Sweep in Extra-Inning Thriller
After shocking #4 Heartland in Game 1, the Harper Hawks proved their resilience in Game 2, battling through momentum swings and extra innings to secure a 7-5 victory and complete the sweep.

Harper found themselves playing from behind for most of the game, as Heartland struck first with an RBI double in the bottom of the third. The Hawks answered in the fourth when Glozier delivered a clutch two-run single, bringing home Jacoby and Brayden Clancy. However, Harper's lead was short-lived, as Heartland responded in the bottom of the inning with a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to reclaim a 3-2 advantage.

Harper evened the score again in the fifth when Clancy singled home Connor Kave, but once again, Heartland had a response, plating two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to make it 5-3.

With the pressure mounting, Glozier continued his monster day at the plate, blasting his second home run of the doubleheader in the top of the sixth—a two-run shot that scored Drtina and tied the game at five. From there, the pitching settled in, as both teams remained scoreless through the seventh, forcing extra innings.

Harper capitalized in the eighth, as Jacoby led off with a single and later stole third, forcing Heartland into a high-pressure situation. With the bases loaded, Brandon Koth hit a sharp grounder to third, resulting in an error that allowed both Jacoby and Glozier to score, giving Harper a 7-5 lead.

Drtina then took the mound in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory. After allowing a leadoff single, he quickly shut down Heartland's comeback hopes with a fielder's choice and two flyouts, closing out the game and capping off an incredible season-opening sweep.

Drtina was lights-out in relief, pitching 3.2 innings while allowing just one hit and striking out two, earning the win. Meanwhile, Glozier continued his dominance, finishing Game 2 with four more RBIs and his second homer of the day.

Harper's Statement Sweep Signals a New Era
With their first 2-0 start since 2007, the Harper Hawks have kicked off their NJCAA DII era in spectacular fashion. Knocking off #4 Heartland not once, but twice, proves that Harper is more than ready to compete at this higher level.
The Hawks showcased a balanced attack, combining explosive offense, clutch pitching, and solid defense to take down a nationally ranked powerhouse. Glozier's monster day at the plate set the tone, while Harper's pitching staff, led by Hulligan and Drtina, kept Heartland's bats in check.

These victories not only mark a historic moment for the program but also send a strong message to the rest of NJCAA DII—Harper is here to win. If this opening doubleheader is any indication, the Hawks have the potential to make serious noise this season.

The Hawks will travel to Mattoon this coming weekend for three nine inning games at the Lucas Otto Memorial Tournament, starting off against #15 Parkland on Saturday. On Sunday, they play DI opponents Southwestern Illinois and Olive-Harvey.





 
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