Game 1 box score: Findlay 5, Hillsdale 3
Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 14, Findlay 6
It was a record day for record-setting for Hillsdale College senior baseball player Luke Ortel.
During Wednesday's GLIAC doubleheader at Findlay, Ortel set three school records – one single-season and two career – in the Chargers' split with the Oilers. Hillsdale dropped the first game 5-3 but roared back to take game two 14-6.
Hillsdale now stands at 22-14 overall and 10-8 in the GLIAC.
In Hillsdale's win, Ortel hit a triple that gave him the school's all-time record for career hits at 210. He later singled to put him atop the program's single-season hits list with 71. His next at bat was the 612th of his great career, also shattering a long-standing career record. Earlier in the season, Ortel set the program's career record for both triples and doubles, and needs one more double to set the single-season mark.
In game one, Hillsdale jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Chris McDonald, Connor Bartlett and Alex Walts each drove in runs to spring the team to the lead.
But the Oilers fought back in the late innings, tying the game in the fifth with three runs, and adding two more in the bottom of the sixth.
Junior Ethan Wiskur was 3-for-4 with a run scored, and Bartlett was 2-for-4 in the opener for Hillsdale.
In game two, the Chargers put together an impressive two-out rally in the third inning, stroking five straight singles to take a 6-1 lead. Hillsdale tacked on four more in the fifth to take a commanding lead.
In his record-setting game, Ortel was 2-for-3 with a single, triple and three runs scored. Senior catcher Joe Gentile came through with some clutch hits, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. McDonald picked up two hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in, and Walts added a two-run single.
Senior Jacob Gardner got the win in relief of Wiskur, who started and pitched 4.1 innings. Matt Young tossed 2.2 perfect innings in relief, striking out two batters.
UP NEXT: The Chargers host Saginaw Valley State for a four-game weekend series at Simpson Field starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
PHOTO CREDIT: Anders Kiledal