Game 1 box score - Ohio Dominican 3, Hillsdale 2 (9 inn.)
Game 2 box score - Hillsdale 11, Ohio Dominican 5
Game 3 box score - Ohio Dominican 6, Hillsdale 1
April 3, 2013 - A four-run sixth inning was a primary reason for Hillsdale College's 6-1 loss to Ohio Dominican Wednesday afternoon, concluding the mid-week three-game series between the teams.
The Chagers enter the weekend with an 11-13 overall record, and 4-7 in the GLIAC, while ODU improves to 7-4 in the conference. Hillsdale plays a three-game weekend series at Ashland University.
Hillsdale hit ODU batters with pitches six times in the game and committed three errors in the loss. After scoring a run in the first inning, the Chargers were shut out the rest of the way, as Panther starter Ryan Colegate won his fourth game of the season, turning in an impressive outing. He had eight strikeouts and didn't walk a batter in seven innings of work.
The Chargers outhit the Panthers 8-6 in the game, but were unable to come up with an extra-base hit.
Senior Mike Vanchieri went 3-for-4 and drove in the team's only run of the contest. Freshman Zak Northrup, fresh off a four-hit game Tuesday, picked up two more hits in this one. Freshman Luke Ortel had a hit and scored a run for Hillsdale.
Tuesday recap
April 2, 2013 - A timely combination of clutch hitting and improving pitching led to a crucial victory for the Hillsdale College baseball team in the second half of its Tuesday afternoon doubleheader with the Ohio Dominican University Panthers.
After losing 3-2 in frustrating, extra-inning fashion in the first game, the Chargers bounced back from a 4-0 first-inning deficit to win the second game 11-5. Hillsdale is 11-12 overall and 4-6 in the GLIAC on the season. The two teams will conclude this rare, mid-week three-game series with a single, nine-inning game slated for a 2:00 first pitch Wednesday.
Sophomore pitcher Jon Hanrahan notched his first win of the season with a complete-game effort that featured just one earned run allowed, two walks and two strikeouts. With such a short schedule turnaround from last weekend to next weekend, Hanrahan's ability to finish out the game was huge in the big picture for the team.
The Panthers struck for four runs - three unearned - in the top of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. But the Charger offense struck back immediately with four in their half of the first, tying the game up quickly. Sophomore shortstop Vinny Delicata provided the key hit with a two-run single with the bases loaded, knotting the game.
In the third inning, Hillsdale grabbed the lead for good with three runs, two coming on wild pitches. The aggressive baserunning was a staple for Hillsdale in the game, as the team stole seven bases in the victory.
Freshman Zak Northrup provided three big insurance runs in the fourth inning, clearing the bases with a triple that brought home three.
Northrup enjoyed his best day as a college player at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, to go along with two stolen bases.
Sophomore Sean Bennett and freshman Connor Bartlett each had four hits on the day, two in each game, to continue their hot streaks at the plate. Four of the top five batters in Hillsdale's lineup each scored two runs in the win.
In the first game, sophomore pitcher Shane Armstrong threw eight of the nine innings in a gutty effort in sub-40 degree weather. He set a season-high with seven strikeouts with just one earned run allowed.
ODU led the game 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, when the Chargers rallied. Bennett led off the inning with a solo home run to right to make it a 2-1 game. Bartlett's one-out double scored pinch-runner Scott Rhodes with the game-tying run. The Panthers scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth with a check-swing, bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right.
Photo by Lyndsay LaCourse