The Hillsdale College baseball team took its first lead of the weekend series and had its best day at the plate against Illinois-Springfield on Sunday, but it wasn't enough in an 11-4 loss to the Prairie Stars to conclude this weekend's action.
Sophomore Aidan Brewer broke a scoreless tie and put the Chargers ahead with a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, in the top of the fourth, and Joe Hardenbergh added a RBI double to help Hillsdale stake a 3-0 lead.
But UIS answered right back with five runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead, then blew the game open in the sixth with six runs, including a grand slam, to put the Prairie Stars up 11-3.
Jeff Landis hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the top of the sixth, to cut the lead to 11-4, but Hillsdale couldn't muster any more runs after that point to close the gap further.
Landis went 3 for 4 with a double on top of the home run to lead the Chargers at the plate, Aidan Brewer was 2 for 4 with the two-run shot, and Rob Zurawski chipped in a double and Lewis Beals a single as well for Hillsdale.
Sawyer Allen (1-1) took the loss on the mound for Hillsdale, going three and two-thirds innings, Nate Waligora pitched a third of an inning of relief, and James Krick went four innings, striking out seven and walking one in a solid relief outing.
Hillsdale (4-4) has another tough series ahead as it opens both its G-MAC and home schedules against a red-hot Ohio Dominican team this coming weekend. The Panthers are off to a 7-0 start with a sweep of Notre Dame (OH) entering this weekend's contests.
Photo by Gwen Buchhop