The Anderson University baseball team was picked to finished third in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll on Tuesday.

Rose-Hulman was selected first with 76 points and seven first-place votes, followed by defending champion Franklin (68), Anderson (65), Mt. St. Joseph (57), Transylvania (45), Manchester (39), Bluffton (23), Hanover (21) and Defiance (11).

The Ravens were also selected 28th in the preseason national poll behind Rose-Hulman (27th) and ahead of Franklin (29th).

AU opens the season on Feb. 27 at Raven Park against DePauw in a doubleheader. The games will be carried live on the internet broadcast at noon.

Anderson University alumnus Jim Hazen, Scott Rowland and Danny Keough have joined the baseball coaching staff for the 2010 season.

Jim Hazen played for the Ravens from 1979-1981 and served as an assistant/associate coach under Don Brandon from 1983-1987 and from 1993-1997. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Anderson University in 1982 and his master’s degree from Ball State in 1985. He was the head coach at Indiana Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, coached the Athletes in Action Pacific Team in 1985 and conducted BSB clinics in South Africa. He is the father of senior infielder Jeremy Hazen.

Scott Rowland played baseball for the Ravens in 1999. He spent the last two seasons as the head coach at Madison-Grant High School. In 2006-2007, Rowland served as a varsity assistant at his alma mater, Alexandria High School. He will receive his bachelor’s degree from Anderson University in Physical Education and Health later this year.

Danny Keough returns to the Ravens baseball program after spending four years as a member of the team from 2005-2008. Keough spent one year as the catching and hitting coach at Penn High School and last season in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as an assistant hitting coach and video coordinator. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Anderson University in 2008.

AU begins the 2010 season by hosting DePauw at Raven Park Saturday, February 27^th. The games will be carried live on internet broadcast at noon.

Lapel’s Brad Lantz on Tuesday became the eighth Anderson University baseball player to win the Carl Erskine Award of Excellence, presented by the Anderson Rotary Club.

The award caps an athletic career that has been steeped in team and individual accomplishments.

While in high school, Lantz was part of a sectional championship team in 2004 and was All-State, team MVP and captain in 2005. That same year he was the starting center for the school’s state championship basketball team.

“Brad was an outstanding catcher,” said AU baseball coach Don Brandon, who is attending his final Erskine ceremony as head coach. “The catcher’s equipment is often referred to as the tools of ignorance. However, Brad’s graduating (grade point average) is 3.42 out of 4.0 in elementary education.”

Lantz, the son of Shari and Steve Lantz, will graduate in December on the dean’s list. He also has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity.

“Brad will always give back to the community,” Brandon said. “He always put team above self. Brad will continue to be a leader both professionally and in his community.”

Lantz’s name will join the seven others on a permanent display inside the

Kardatzke Wellness Center. He was presented with a trophy bearing the likeness of former Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine, who also attended the ceremony. The Rotary Club also presented a $500 check to go to the Anderson University scholarship fund.

“The excitement is almost overwhelming,” Lantz said. “It is an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with Carl Erskine. He is one of the most giving individuals I have ever met.”

Lantz had some other plaudits to hand out as well.

“Don Brandon, what a guy to play for and learn from,” Lantz said. “He was a man I could go to for anything. Then my parents. There were always there, through the day baseball and the late-night baseball that would never end.”

Erskine spoke in support of the choice of Lantz as the award winner, but he had a question.

“I’ve always liked catchers,” Erskine said. “But what I don’t understand is that they call all of the pitches. But at the end of the game there’s a losing pitcher. Why not a losing catcher? But I think Brad is going to do good things in his life. He has all of the tools.”

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter and former Highland star Adam Lind was on hand for the awards, though he preferred to remain in the background in order to not detract from the significance of the award and the winner.

The story appeared in The Herald Bulletin by Sports Editor Rick Teverbaugh

Anderson University juniors Chris Jarrett and Jeremy Hazen have been named to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference 1st Team on Wednesday.

Hazen led the Ravens with a .436 average to go with 44 runs, 11 doubles, 13 home runs, 49 RBI, 117 total bases and a .785 slugging percentage.

Jarrett led the Ravens with 17 doubles and 118 total bases  while hitting .404 with 58 runs, five triples, eight home runs, 30 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Jarrett also broke the career record for triples this season and has 23 over his three years.

Named to the second team were senior Brad Lantz, junior Cody Young and sophomore Brady Roundtree.

Young batted .375 with 37 runs, 14 doubles, a team-high eight triples, eight home runs, 45 RBI, 114 total bases and 24 stolen bases. Roundtree hit .282 with 10 doubles, two home runs, 20 RBI and Lantz .266 with seven doubles, two home runs and 24 RBI.

Honorable mention selectees were sophomore Kyle Dillon (5-5, 6.86 ERA, 43 K), junior Aaron Vogel (4-3, 4.50 ERA, 28 K), sophomore David Addington (.283, 5 2B, 2 HR) and freshman Michael Tucker (.325, 11 2B, 8 HR, 31 RBI).

AU finished the season 22-18 overall and 12-9 in the HCAC.

The Anderson University baseball team lost to Mt. St. Joseph 10-4 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament on Friday at McDowell Field.

Jeremy Hazen led the Ravens with three hits, two runs and an RBI, including his 13th home run of the season. Chris Jarrett had two hits and two RBI, including his eighth home run this year. Cody Young added a pair of doubles and an RBI.

Starter Brad Schnepp took the loss on the mound, allowing eight hits and five runs in three innings while walking two and striking out one. Aaron Vogel pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing a hit and striking out two.

AU finished the season 22-18 overall and 12-9 in the HCAC.

The Anderson University baseball team lost to No. 1 seed and host Franklin College 15-9 on Thursday at McDowell Memorial Field in the first game of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

Brady Roundtree led the Raven offense with two hits, two runs and four RBI, including a three-run homer. Brett Detty also had a three-run homer and Jeremy Hazen added a solo shot – his 12th of the season.

Kyle Dillon took the loss on the mound, allowing 10 hits and eight runs in 4.1 innings while striking out three with two walks.

The teams combined to score 12 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but Franklin added a three-run first and five runs in the fifth to always be in control of the game.

AU (22-17) plays No. 3 Mt. St. Joseph on Friday in the losers bracket at 9:30 a.m. The game will be carried live on the internet broadcast from McDowell Field.

The Anderson University baseball team dropped its final two regular season games on Saturday at Marge Schott Stadium, falling to Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Mt. St. Joseph 4-3 and 11-9.

Brett Detty led the Ravens with two hits and a run and Cody Young had an RBI on a groundout. Chris Jarrett added a double.

Kyle Dillon took the loss on the mound, allowing five hits and three earned run in four innings. Seth Daniels pitched two shutout innings of relief, not allowing a baserunner.

In the second game, Jarrett led the offense with three hits and two runs, including a double. Brady Roundtree had two hits and Michael Tucker added a home run. David Addington chipped in with two RBI and Brad Lantz and Detty each added a hit and an RBI.

Starter Aaron Vogel took the loss, allowing six hits and seven runs in 2.2 innings. Mitch Buis pitched three shutout innings of relief and Shane Nevers got the final two outs without allowing a baserunner.

AU (22-16, 12-9 HCAC) travels to No. 1 seed and host Franklin on Thursday in the first round of the HCAC post-season tournament. The game will be carried live on the internet broadcast at noon.

The Anderson University baseball team defeated Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference foe Mt. St. Joseph 9-5 in 10 innings on Friday night at Marge Schott Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The victory coupled with Manchester’s victory over Transylvania clinched a spot in the four-team post-season tournament next Thursday a the regular season champion.

Jeremy Hazen and Cody Young opened the 10th inning with back-to-back doubles to give the Ravens the lead. David Addington added a suicide squeeze and Brad Schnepp added a home run.

Schnepp led the offense with with three hits, three runs and two RBI and Michael Tucker added two hits, two runs and two RBI, including a home run.

Shane Nevers earned the victory in relief, allowing just one walk in the final 1.2 innings on the mound. Schnepp, who started on the mound, allowing seven hits and five earned runs in six innings and Kyle Beckman gave up two hits and no runs in 2.1 innings of relief.

AU (22-14, 12-7 HCAC) plays a doubleheader at Mt. St. Joseph on Saturday. The games will be carried live on the internet broadcast at noon.