Game 1 box score: Malone 4, Hillsdale 1
Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 7, Malone 0
Entering the second game of Sunday's doubleheader in Massilon, Ohio, the Hillsdale College baseball team was looking to reverse its first losing streak in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play.
Enter Andrew Verbrugge.
The sophomore pitcher turned in one of the best performances of his career, throwing a complete-game, nine-inning shutout in a 7-0 win over Malone University in a game played at Jefferson High School in Massilon.
Malone won the opener 4-1, giving the Pioneers the weekend series win. The Chargers are now 15-17 overall and 12-3 in conference play.
Verbrugge turned in a 112-pitch masterpiece, surrendering just four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters in nine innings. He threw 74 strikes and struck a nice balance of ground ball outs to fly ball outs (10-9). His seven strikeouts were a season-high and his four hits were tied for the fewest allowed in any start this season.
He got early support from the team's top power hitter, junior Steven Ring. In the top of the first inning, Ring hit his eighth home run of the season to give the Chargers an early lead. Ring was 2-for-5 in the victory.
Junior Dylan Lottinville had a nice day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run batted in anda run scored. Jake Hoover kept up his hot play by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and Ryan O'Hearn had a double as part of a 2-for-4 day with 2 RBI.
In the opener, Hillsdale was held to six hits in a 4-1 loss. The team's only run came in the fourth when Hoover drove in Lottinville.