CARMEL, Ind. – Following the 2021 season, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced the Baseball major award winners and members of the All-Conference Teams.
Following an outstanding senior campaign, and career, Franklin College’s
Ryan Bixler (Logansport, Ind.) was named the 2021 HCAC Baseball Player of the Year. Bixler was in the top of several HCAC statistical categories, starting 36 games for the Grizzlies. He boasted a .435 batting average, 63 runs, 60 hits, 44 RBI, 13 doubles and 10 home runs. He had a hot slugging percentage of .761 and an impressive on base percentage of .570. Bixler was also very reliable in the field, as an outfielder, with a .977 fielding percentage.
On the mound, it was Transylvania University’s
Jake Schmidt (Dublin, Ohio) who was tabbed as the 2021 HCAC Baseball Pitcher of the Year. The senior pieced together an impressive campaign, going 7-0 in nine starts, adding a save. He led the league in strikeouts with 77, including 26 strikeouts looking, and had a 2.62 ERA.
Pioneer teammate
Trent Youngblood (Louisville, Ky.) was voted as the 2021 HCAC Baseball Newcomer of the Year. The first year was a leader at the plate in the HCAC, with a .399 average, with 55 hits, 46 runs, 15 RBI, and 10 doubles. Youngblood also had a .536 slugging percentage and .488 on base percentage. He was also solid in the infield, with a .985 fielding percentage.
Transylvania skipper
Zack Getsee led the Pioneers to their first regular season title in over a decade, with a 26-10 regular season record. For his efforts, Getsee was voted as the 2021 HCAC Coach of the Year by his peers.
Player of the Year: Ryan Bixler, Franklin College
Pitcher of the Year: Jake Schmidt, Transylvania University
Newcomer of the Year: Trent Youngblood, Transylvania University
Coach of the Year: Zack Getsee, Transylvania University
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.
For more information on HCAC Softball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
All-Conference First Team
| Ryan Bixler |
Outfield |
Franklin College |
| Charlie Burton |
Catcher |
Hanover College |
| Hudson Chastain |
Second Base |
Transylvania University |
| Danny Dopp |
Utility |
Earlham College |
| Joey Gerbus |
Pitcher |
Earlham College |
| Jacob Hughes |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Tysen Lipscomb |
Designated Hitter |
Franklin College |
| Michael Pinarski |
Infield/Pitcher |
Manchester University |
| Justin Reed |
Short Stop |
Anderson University |
| Matthew Rouse |
Pitcher |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Branton Sanders |
First Base |
Anderson University |
| Jake Schmidt |
Pitcher |
Transylvania University |
| Adam Taylor |
Outfield |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Riley Wilbur |
Outfield |
Transylvania University |
| Nick Wright |
Third Base |
Franklin College |
| Trent Youngblood |
Outfield |
Transylvania University |
All-Conference Second Team
| Michael Blair |
First Base |
Transylvania University |
| Luke Calabrese |
Utility |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Harris Camp |
Outfield |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Alex Christie |
Shortstop |
Hanover College |
| Eli Copner |
Pitcher |
Hanover College |
| Logan Demkovich |
Catcher |
Franklin College |
| Kasey Henderson |
Pitcher |
Anderson University |
| Charlie Joyce |
Pitcher |
Hanover College |
| Andrew Littlefield |
Outfield |
Hanover |
| Ryan Murray |
Outfield |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Jacob Petrisko |
Pitcher |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| TJ Price |
Second Base |
Anderson University |
| Grahm Reedy |
Outfield |
Anderson University |
| Brett Tuttle |
Third Base |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Nick Wade |
Designated Hitter |
Transylvania University |
| Quenton Wellington |
Shortstop |
Franklin College |
All-Conference Honorable Mention
| Bennie Day |
Outfield |
Anderson University |
| Adam Duncan |
Outfield |
Bluffton University |
| Austin Hatfield |
First Base/Utility |
Earlham College |
| Nate Kaffenbarger |
Infield |
Defiance College |
| Brett Kron |
Catcher |
Manchester University |
| Wade LoPiccolo |
Third Base |
Transylvania University |
| Cohen Nies |
Pitcher |
Defiance College |
| Jordan Parker |
Pitcher |
Hanover College |
| Alex Reinoehl |
Pitcher |
Franklin College |
| Nathan Renner |
Pitcher |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Parker Reynolds |
Catcher |
Bluffton University |