SUNDAY RECAP
Box score - Hillsdale 21, Bellarmine 19
We've played baseball at Hillsdale College for more than 100 years, and there has never been a game like the one the Chargers played late Sunday night in Louisville, Kentucky.
An 11-inning game, defying normal description, saw Hillsdale defeat Bellarmine 21-19, the highest-scoring game in school history. Hillsdale stands at 5-2 overall through the first two weekends of the 2016 season.
The Chargers scored three runs in the top of the first inning, an innocent enough start to this game. But the Knights struck for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning, and the weirdness began.
By the bottom of the third inning, the Chargers had closed the deficit to 9-7, thanks in part to a bases-loaded two-run single by freshman Colin Boerst. Senior Michael O'Sullivan hit two home runs in the game's first six innings as part of the offensive fireworks.
The Knights scored four more runs in the fifth to take a 14-11 lead. O'Sullivan's second round-tripper of the night tied the game at 14 in the top of the sixth, and one inning later, Hillsdale jumped out to an 18-14 lead. Senior Luke Ortel drove in two runs with a single, and senior Chris McDonald crushed a two-run home run to give the Chargers the lead.
Bellarmine tied the game up at 18 again with a four-run seventh. Then, astonishingly, neither team scored in the eighth, ninth or 10th innings as thw two teams found bullpen arms that slowed down the dizzying offensive numbers bering put up.
Coming through in the clutch for the Chargers was junior pitcher Joe Chasen, who quieted the Knights with 3 2/3 innings of relief work, allowing just two hits while recording five strikeouts. Chasen was the game's winning pitcher thanks to his stellar relief work.
In the top of the 11th, Hillsdale staged a two-out rally that would eventually win it the game. Junior Ethan Wiskur doubled home McDonald for what would turn out to be the game-winning run. COnnor Bartlett and Chris Ackerman would later add RBI singles to give the Chargers a 21-18 lead.
After Bellarmine's leadoff hitter in the 11th scored off an infield single, McDonald shut the door, forcing a double play and a fly out to center to pick up the save, ending the craziest game any of the players or coaches have ever seen.
Wiskur was 5-for-7 with 4 runs scored, and McDonald went 4-for-7 with 2 RBI and 4 runs scored. O'Sullivan drove in a career-high 5 runs while Ortel was 2-for-7 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.
Box score - Hillsdale 8, Alderson-Broaddus 5
In Sunday's first game, Hillsdale exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to allow it to squeeze by Alderson-Broaddus.
Bartlett had the big blow of the inning with a grand slam home run, scoring Tad Sobieszczanski, Wiskur and McDonald. The Chargers worked the bases loaded by drawing walks and advancing on passed balls and wild pitches earlier in the frame.
Senior Mitchell Gatt picked up the win in reliefm while McDonald recorded his third save of the season with a perfect seventh inning. Wiskur and Bartlett were each 3-for-4 in the win, and Ortel scored two runs for the Chargers.
SATURDAY RECAP
Box score – Bellarmine 6, Hillsdale 3
In Saturday's first game, the Charger baseball team fell behind 3-1 after the first inning and were playing catch-up the rest of the way, losing to Bellarmine University 6-3 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Senior Tad Sobieszczanski was 2-for-5 with a run scored, and sophomore Alex Walts added two hits. Ethan Wiskur had an RBI double and catcher Joe Gentile brought home a run with a single. Seniors Luke Ortel and Connor Bartlett each had doubles.
Hillsdale stranded 11 runners on base.
Box score – Hillsdale 13, Alderson-Broaddus 4
The Chargers recovered well in Saturday's second game, as eight different players contributed hits in the team's win over future G-MAC foe Alderson-Broaddus at St. Xavier High School.
Hillsdale wasted little time in getting going on offense, scoring in each of the game's first six innings, highlighted by three in the fourth and four in the sixth. Neither team scored over the game's final three frames.
Sophomore pitcher Will Kruse got the win in the game, striking out four in six innings of work. The bullpen corps of Phil Carey, Wiskur, Joe Chasen and Chris McDonald combined for three innings pitched with just one hit allowed, one walk and four strikeouts.
McDonald, Wiskur and Bartlett each had triples, while Walts and freshman Steven Ring each slammed doubles. Wiskur was 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored, while McDonald was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Senior Michael O'Sullivan scored twice and senior Luke Ortel added two hits and a stolen base.