The Hillsdale College baseball team took three of four from host Malone and just missed the weekend sweep with a doubleheader split on Sunday to close out the series in Canton.
The Chargers won the nightcap 9-5 in six innings, never trailing in the contest for the first time this weekend.
Cody Kanclerz led off the game with a solo home run for Hillsdale, and Aidan Brewer and Cooper Peterson each added a RBI single to give Hillsdale a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Jeff Landis tacked on an additional run with a single in the top of the second, and, when Malone tied the game in the bottom of the second with a three-run home run, the Chargers put the game away with five runs in the top of the third.
Joe Hardenbergh hit a two-run home run to key that big inning, and Danny Passinault added a RBI single as well.
Peterson was 2 for 2 with a double at the plate to lead the Chargers, and Landis chipped in two hits as well.
Will Gifford earned the win in relief for the Chargers, his third of the season, walking three and striking out one in two-thirds of an inning of relief, and freshman Brendan Pochmara picked up his first career save in impressive fashion, pitching three and a third scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two walks. James Krick got the start for the Chargers and went two innings with two strikeouts and a walk.
Hillsdale came very close to sweeping the Pioneers, rallying from an 8-1 second inning deficit to force extra innings, but Malone hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to seal a 10-9 victory.
Kanclerz keyed the comeback, cutting into the Pioneer lead with a solo home run in the third inning, hitting a RBI double in the top of the sixth to make it 8-6 Malone, then tying the game on a RBI single in the top of the seventh to help force extra innings.
Passinault added a two-run home run in the fourth inning as well, Peterson hit a solo shot in the top of the seventh to set up Kanclerz's tying single, and Nick Stepke hit a RBI single as well.
Paul Brophy took the loss in relief for the Chargers despite pitching well, going two and two-thirds innings with four strikeouts, a walk, and giving up just three hits and the one earned run.
Andrew Verbrugge got the start for Hillsdale and pitched five innings, bouncing back from a rough second inning where the Chargers gave up eight runs to strike out nine, walk two and give Hillsdale a chance at the comeback. Dillon Manion pitched an inning of relief as well.
After the weekend series, Hillsdale is now 8-4 in conference play and 12-8 overall, and has earned a spot in the top four of the G-MAC standings so far. The Chargers return home to take on a Walsh team that is close behind in the standings in doubleheaders on Friday, April 2 and Saturday, April 3 next.