The Hillsdale College baseball team took the weekend series and locked up the sixth seed in the upcoming Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament with a doubleheader split with visiting Findlay in the Chargers' final home games of the season on Saturday.
Hillsdale bounced back from an early 2-0 deficit to the Oilers in the first game, scoring a combined 11 runs in the third and fourth innings to seize control and claim a fourth-straight victory, 13-7.
Freshmen Jeff Landis and Evan Fauquher each hit a two-run single to get the Charger offense going in the five-run bottom of the third inning, and James Krick hit a RBI double as well. Landis also kicked off the scoring in the fourth inning with a three-run home run as well, and two batters later freshman Joe Hardenbergh added a two-run home run of his own help give the Chargers a nine run edge.
Findlay scored five runs in the top of the sixth to get back in the game, but Krick gave the Chargers insurance runs with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to help seal the victory.
Sophomore Will Gifford picked up his third win of the season in his first start, going four innings with two strikeouts and a walk. Caleb Biedenharn pitched an inning and two thirds of relief for the Chargers, striking out four and walking two, and Dillon Manion pitched an inning and a third as well, striking out three.
Both Landis and Hardenbergh went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the victory, and senior Rob Zurawski chipped in two hits, including a double.
In the nightcap, Hillsdale jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning and led 4-3 entering the seventh, but Findlay scored six runs in the final three innings to prevent a Charger sweep and take a 9-5 victory to end the weekend series.
Zurawski hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third in his final home game as a Charger, to help give Hillsdale that early 2-0 lead. The Chargers generated three of their five runs in the contest off of sacrifices flies by junior Cody Kanclerz, Fauquher, and freshman Nick Stepke, and freshman Nate Waligora drew a bases-loaded walk as well.
Freshman Tyler Harris went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the loss, and Krick added a triple as well.
Paul Brophy took the loss in relief for Hillsdale, which used five pitchers in the contest, striking out three and walking none in two and two-thirds innings. Freshman Brendan Pochmara got the start, pitching three shutout innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts, and Zane Barnhart struck out the side in an inning of relief as well for the Chargers.
The Chargers also celebrated four graduating or graduated seniors in its annual Senior Day ceremony before the start of the first game today. Along with Zurawski, who hit 4 for 8 with a double and a home run in his final home appearance on Saturday, the Chargers also honored senior pitchers Andrew Verbrugge and Sawyer Allen, as well as 2020 graduate and pitcher Kolton Rominski, who didn't get a senior day last year because of the cancellation of the spring season.
Hillsdale finishes the regular season at 19-21 overall, and 15-17 and in sixthplace in the G-MAC. The Chargers will play in the G-MAC Tournament at Prasco Park in Mason, Ohio, beginning on Wednesday, May 12, and will be in the 3-6 game in the opening round, facing off against third-seeded Ohio Dominican for a chance to advance in winner's bracket play.