CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Earlham College baseball team opened Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play with a 10-7 victory over Mount St. Joseph (MSJ) at UC Health Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The Lions (11-3, 0-1 HCAC) scored the game's first run as Nathan Hunter grounded out scoring Simon Schaefer in the bottom of the first. The Quakers had the answer and quickly, however, as Earlham drew two walks and tallied three hits to plate three runs in the top of the second. Juniors Matt Barger and Nate Lynch provided RBI hits.

After a scoreless second inning, the home side tied the game with two runs in the third. Two Earlham errors allowed for Nathan Hunter to hit a two-run home run off of senior Bryce Rainey, tying the contest 3-3.

Neither team would score until the sixth inning. The Quakers use a home run from junior Eric Elkus, his third of the season, and two MSJ errors to score four runs. Trailing 7-3, the Lions answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Two hits including a bases clearing double from Matt Hofmann and three walks aided MSJ's four-run inning.

Earlham took the advantage back on the very next at bat, however, as sophomore Joe Pipher led off the seventh with a solo home run. Elkus would add a two-RBI single in the eighth, stretching the Earlham lead to 10-7.

Freshman Walter Talcott improved to 3-0 in his collegiate career, allowing two hits and striking out five in the final three innings.

Elkus led the way for Earlham offensively, finished 2-4 with a home run and four RBIs. Barger, Lynch, and junior Brennan Laird also had two hits each. Zak Farmer finished 3-5 with three RBIs to lead the Lions in defeat.

Senior Bryce Rainey started the game for the Quakers and allowed one earned run while striking out four in five innings of work.

Earlham stands at 10-2 on the season and 1-0 in HCAC competition. The Quakers host Rose-Hulman, the preseason conference favorite, in a three-game series at Sadler Stadium this weekend.