MAY 20, 2026, GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball program continued its dominance in 2026, as eight Raiders earned postseason recognition following another championship campaign that saw GRCC finish 30-14 overall, 22-3 in conference play, and capture its fourth consecutive conference title.

The Raiders also posted a perfect 15-0 record at home and advanced to the NJCAA Region XII Final Four before finishing fourth in the regional tournament.

Leading the postseason accolades were sophomores Peter Heintz, Kyle O'Hearn, Cannon Paul, and Kyler Larson, who each earned All-Region, All-MCCAA, and First Team All-Conference honors. Heintz, O'Hearn, and Paul finished second, third, and fourth respectively in the overall all-conference voting.

Freshman A.J. Speigl, sophomore Landon Terry, and freshman Michael Hurlbutt were all named Second Team All-Conference selections, while sophomore Jack Lockwood earned All-Conference Honorable Mention recognition. Speigl and Hurlbutt also represented the Raiders on the Northern Conference All-Freshman Team.

In addition, head coach Mike Eddington was named Northern Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season after guiding the Raiders to another conference championship while also recording his 200th career victory.

Heintz turned in one of the most dominant offensive seasons in the NJCAA, leading the entire conference in batting average (.443), home runs (13), RBI (62), slugging percentage (.869), and on-base percentage (.547). The sophomore first baseman also led the Raiders with 252 putouts and five sacrifice flies while posting a .982 fielding percentage. Heintz elevated his play even further during regional competition, batting .500 with five home runs to earn All-Region Tournament Team honors. Last season, he was named Second Team All-Conference and to the All-Freshman Team.

O'Hearn anchored the Raider pitching staff with a 7-1 overall record and conference-best 2.67 ERA. In conference play, the sophomore right-hander was a perfect 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA. He led GRCC with 50 strikeouts, recorded two shutouts, and finished with a 1.15 WHIP. O'Hearn earned All-Region, All-MCCAA, and First Team All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season.

Paul continued his strong career at shortstop by batting .350 overall and .440 in conference play. He totaled 48 hits, eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 33 RBI while ranking second on the team with 12 stolen bases. Paul was also recognized last season as a Second Team All-Conference and All-Freshman Team selection.

Larson delivered another reliable season on the mound, finishing 6-2 overall while going a perfect 5-0 in conference games with a 2.30 ERA. The sophomore totaled 25 strikeouts in 44.1 innings pitched.

Speigl emerged as one of the league's top freshmen, batting .374 overall and .409 in conference action. The third baseman led the Raiders with 55 hits and 49 runs scored while adding nine doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 25 RBI. Speigl also led the entire conference with 35 stolen bases, including 26 during conference play.

Terry provided another major boost to the GRCC pitching staff, posting a 7-1 overall record with a 3.70 ERA. In conference competition, the sophomore went 5-0 with a 2.92 ERA while striking out 40 batters in 41.1 innings and compiling a 1.33 WHIP.

Hurlbutt put together an impressive freshman campaign in the outfield, batting .378 overall and .385 in conference play. He totaled 51 hits, including a team-high 14 doubles along with three triples and five home runs, while driving in 37 runs and slugging .637. Hurlbutt also shined in the postseason, batting .524 during regional play to earn All-Region Tournament Team honors.

Lockwood rounded out the Raider honorees after another productive season in the outfield. The sophomore batted .311 in conference play and totaled 42 hits overall, including 10 doubles, three triples, four home runs, and 32 RBI while adding 11 stolen bases. Lockwood was previously named Second Team All-Conference and to the All-Freshman Team in 2025.
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Interested in supporting GRCC Athletics?  All donations can be done through GRCC Athletic's Scholarship Fund and can specify what scholarship fund the gift is going to, such as the Hofmann scholarship. If you have any questions on how to support Athletics at Grand Rapids Community College, contact the Athletic Department via phone at (616) 234-3883 or email grccathletics@grcc.edu. Any support is appreciated and goes towards assisting our student-athlete scholarship funds.