“We are extremely excited and proud of Joe, Nolan and Andrew,” Ramseyer said. “They are going to schools that are good fits for them where they will have a chance to contribute. It was very important to me to have strong leadership this year, and we certainly had that from our sophomore class. These guys have worked exceptionally hard and have been great for our program.”

For Smith, Hesston became a home-away-from-home, and playing for the Larks has afforded him opportunities that were not there after high school.

“On the baseball field, Hesston became a proving ground for me,” he said. “I had a few offers to play college ball after high school but that offer sheet more than doubled after I came here. We played a great schedule, and I think that will help me at the next level. Off the field, Hesston was an amazing experience, too. I built great relationships with people all across campus and really enjoyed my time at Hesston.”

“At Hesston we look for guys who can impact our baseball program and our campus,” Ramseyer said. “I want them to succeed in the classroom, on the field and make a positive contribution in the community. Nolan, Andrew and Joe did just that, and I’m proud to see them moving on as student athletes.”

“I was very pleased with our year,” said first-year Hesston coach Rob Ramseyer. “Our guys worked exceptionally hard and improved everyday. I am especially grateful for the hard work and commitment of our sophomore class. We played pretty good baseball at the regional. We had a lead on Dodge City late and made a few mistakes that cost us.  Sophomores Andrew Pina, Joe Smith and Logan Rierson were very good offensively for us and Nolan Huelsmann finished his Hesston career by throwing very well against Dodge City.”

Hesston Baseball has now recorded four consecutive winning seasons.

“We played well yesterday,” Ramseyer said. “Our guys showed great character in game one coming back from an early deficit and then carried that momentum into game two. We feel like we are set up to play well in the postseason. Our goal all year was to peak at the beginning of May. We are swinging the bats well and are guys are competing exceptionally hard.”

Dodge City (Kan.) Community College will host the three-team regional starting Friday, May 4, with the Larks squaring off against Brown Mackie at a time yet to be announced.

Freshman Preston Hornbeck (McKinney, Texas) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in the opener, while Joe Smith (Hartville, Ohio), Andrew Pina (Goddard, Kan.) and Seth Davenport (McPherson, Kan.) each had a hit and an RBI. Smith got the win on the mound for the Larks.

Hesston finishes its Region VI schedule with a doubleheader at Brown Mackie College (Salina, Kan.) on Monday, April 30, at 1 p.m.

In the opener, Andrew Pina (Goddard, Kan.) went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two knocked in, while Preston Molina (San Antonio, Texas) went 2-for-2 with three RBI in the 5-inning game. Nolan Huelsmann (Goddard, Kan.) was spectacular on the mound, as the sophomore righty went the distance, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out seven.

In game two, Tyler Patty (El Dorado, Kan.) worked the first five innings for Hesston and yieded just two hits to get the win. Alex Hart (Derby, Kan.) finished things off with two innings to nail down the win. Cody King (Andale, Kan.) went 2-for-2 at the plate with a run and an RBI.

A 1-10 record in the next 11 games however put the Larks under .500 mark at 12-13 before winning the last three at home.

11 regular season games remain in the next three weeks as Hesston Baseball seeks its fourth consecutive winning season.

Freshman Jordan Gray (Shreve, Ohio) pitched a complete-game to get the win in game two. The right-hander scattered seven hits over seven innings while striking out three to earn the win. Preston Hornbeck (McKinney, Texas) went 2-for-2 at the plate with three runs scored. Andrew Pina (Goddard, Kan.) enjoyed a 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI in the win.

With the split, the Larks are now 12-8 on the year.

The Larks have flown out of the gate in  coach Rob Ramseyer’s first year by executing an aggressive, disciplined brand of baseball.

“I am very pleased with our start,” Ramseyer said. “Our pitching staff has been outstanding. Our offense has done a good job of playing our style play and competing hard.  We are looking forward to our trip to Arizona and competing against some quality competition.”

Hesston Baseball departs for its annual spring break trip to Phoenix, Ariz., on Saturday, March 3.

Freshman Jesse Yoder (Sarasota, Fla.) was in complete control on the mound, striking out 14 in six innings of shutout ball to earn the win.

“It was good for our guys to get out and play,” said Ramseyer. “They did a nice job. Jesse Yoder was special on the mound, I was very pleased with his outing. Alec Stahly also did a nice job coming in for the final inning. Alec and Jesse, along with the rest of our pitchers, have worked extremely hard preparing for the season and it was great to see them have success.”

The schedule is a challenging one, with the Larks welcoming NJCAA Division I programs Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, Colby (Kan.) Community College and Barton Community College (Great Bend, Kan.) to Oswald Field. Hesston will take on several NJCAA Division II opponents as well, including Region VI rivals Dodge City (Kan.) Community College and Brown Mackie College (Salina, Kan.). In early March, the Larks will head to Arizona for spring break where they play six games in the Phoenix area.

Coming off a freshman season in which he hit .355 with 38 runs batted in, sophomore third-baseman Joe Smith (Hartville, Ohio) will be a mainstay in the Hesston lineup. On the mound, sophomore Nolan Huelsmann (Goddard, Kan.) returns after posting a 7-2 record and 2.37 earned run average in 62 innings in 2011.

“We are excited to get the season going and get out on the field and compete,” Ramseyer said. “Our guys have worked very hard and have bought in to what we are trying to do as a program.”

The Larks get started with a home double-header on Saturday, Feb. 11 against Kansas State University – Salina, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.