BOX SCORE
TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology relied on two key three-run hits to top Earlham College
8-4 in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
baseball series on Thursday night at Art Nehf
Field.
Junior Bobby Newman (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) turned a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 advantage with a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior Donald Stopka (Grayslake, Ill./Carmel Catholic) started the offense with a bases loaded, three-run double in the first to tie the game at 3-3.
The offensive spurt helped freshman R.J. Carroll (Lexington, Ky./Catholic) pick up the victory with three scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Carroll scattered four hits with one strikeout to move to 3-1 on the season.
Senior Ryan Fuller (Fort Wayne/Elmhurst) added 2.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, before sophomore Michael Bush (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Christian) tossed a scoreless ninth to secure the victory.
Senior Derek Dauenbaugh (Bloomington, Ill./University) slapped two singles with one run scored, with Newman and Benitez scoring twice for Rose-Hulman. Junior Nick Pilipovich (Terre Haute/North Vigo) added a two-run single in the seventh inning.
Ted Williams led the Earlham offense with three hits, and Sam Ward contributed two hits and one RBI to the effort.
Rose-Hulman kept its Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title hopes alive with the victory. The Fightin' Engineers need one more win in their three-game series with Earlham than Anderson earns in their three-game series at Franklin this weekend. The Anderson vs. Franklin series begins on Friday.
Rose-Hulman must win at least one of Friday's two 6 p.m. games to remain in title contention. The Engineers improved to 26-11 overall and 17-5 in HCAC play, while Earlham dropped to 14-21 and 4-17 in league games.