2023 G-MAC All-Conference Baseball Teams
2023 has been one of the most successful years in the history of the Hillsdale College baseball team.
That success as a team is reflected in the 2023 G-MAC All-Conference awards, announced this morning ahead of the start of the G-MAC Tournament this afternoon.
Five Chargers, including three who are earning the first All-G-MAC honor of their careers, received recognition from the G-MAC on Wednesday for outstanding performances this season, in leading Hillsdale to a fourth-place finish in the overall conference standings and the first 20-win season in conference play in program history.
At the top of the list for the Chargers are three first-team honorees, tied with 2023 G-MAC regular season champion Northwood for the most of any G-MAC squad on the first team.
The one repeat honoree for Hillsdale among its three first team players is junior relief pitcher Zane Barnhart. A second-team honoree in 2022, Barnhart took another big step forward as the team's closer in 2023, becoming hands-down the most dominant and feared arm out of the bullpen in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
The hard-throwing reliever posted a 4-1 record in 18 appearances with six saves, an impressive 1.94 ERA, and 60 strikeouts to 10 walks in just 41.2 innings pitched, for an impressive 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings average. Thoughout the season, Barnhart blew just one save, and none in conference play, marking him down as one of the most reliable arms out of the bullpen to finish a game in Hillsdale College history. For his career to date, Barnhart's 13 saves out of the bullpen are the second-most by a pitcher in Hillsdale College history.
He's joined on the first team by two Chargers who are receiving All-G-MAC recognition for the first time. Sophomore first baseman Will Shannon was named the top player at his position in the G-MAC after a breakout season for the ages, stepping into the heart of the Hillsdale lineup from day one after seeing limited playing time as a freshman and leading the chargers in batting average (.383) and hits (67). Not just a hitter for average with a high OBP (.440), Shannon provided plenty of power for the Chargers, with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 28 RBIs, as well as an OPS of 1.109 for the entire season.
Shannon's marks have earned him a spot in the Hillsdale record book -- ninth in single-season hits (67) and tied for 10th in single season home runs -- in just his second season with the Chargers.
Also receiving first-team honors is junior outfielder Joe Hardenbergh, who put together a standout season of his own for Hillsdale at the plate. Long a prolific home run hitter for the Chargers, Hardenbergh continued his development into a great all-around hitter in 2023, significantly increasing his batting average and on-base percentage from past years without sacrificing any of his power at the plate. For the season, Hardenbergh hit a career-best .329, leading the Chargers with 14 home runs but also providing 13 doubles, 27 RBIs and four stolen bases. His .659 slugging percentage was among the top 10 players in the G-MAC this season.
Hardenbergh's 14 home runs are tied for the sixth most in a single season in Hillsdale College history, and the junior now has 33 home runs for his career, tied for the third most among all Chargers historically.
Along with three first-team honorees, Hillsdale's Jeff Landis was named to the second team as a designated hitter, his second time earning second-team honors after also receiving the distinction in 2021 from the G-MAC.
Landis overcame setbacks this season, missing 12 games in the middle of the year, to post huge numbers for the Chargers down the stretch. Also a feared power hitter for the Chargers, Landis did everything well in 2023, hitting for both average (.356 and a .396 OBP) and power (eight doubles, 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .696 slugging percentage). In conference play, the junior put up a league-leading 1.304 OPS, finishing second in batting average, tops in slugging percentage and third in home runs despite missing several games. For his career, Landis is now second all-time in both home runs (35) and RBIs (133) in Hillsdale College history.
Hillsdale also had a starting pitcher and senior leader receive third-team All-G-MAC honors, as the Chargers' ace, Will Gifford, was recognized on Monday. It's the first career All-G-MAC honor for Gifford but a well-deserved one for the senior, who was 6-4 this season with a solid 4.46 ERA and a team-leading 62 strikeouts to just 20 walks. Gifford threw two complete games and was especially strong in G-MAC play, posting a 3.71 ERA, a 4-2 record and 45 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched.
Over five seasons, Gifford has put together a nice career for the Chargers, now ranking ninth in program history in wins (15) and 10th in career strikeouts (154).
Hillsdale and its five all-conference players now turn their focus to their G-MAC Tournament run, beginning this afternoon at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio. The Chargers are the fourth seed in the tournament and play fifth-seeded Findlay at 2:30 p.m. on Legacy Field.
Photos by Steve George