Bouncing back from a heartbreaking extra-inning loss on Saturday night, the Hillsdale College baseball team rallied to split a doubleheader with host Maryville on Sunday to make sure they didn't come away from the weekend series empty-handed.
The Chargers had one of their best defensive performances of the season in a 3-0 victory in a seven inning contest to open Sunday's action. Hillsdale got a great start from junior Will Gifford, who pitched six and two-thirds innings of shut-out baseball for his second quality start in three appearances. Gifford had seven strikeouts to just two walks and scattered four hits to keep the Saints off-balance. Sophomore Zane Barnhart earned his second save of the season as well for the Chargers, coming in to record the final out in relief of Gifford.
Offensively, the Chargers jumped ahead early, with Joe Hardenbergh singling to score Cody Kanclerz in the top of the first to give Hillsdale a 1-0 edge just four batters in. Later in the inning, Sean Nemetz drove in a second run on a ground-out as well. Kanclerz helped Hillsdale tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh, hitting a single that turned into a run for the Chargers when an error by the left fielder allowed Danny Pasinault to score from third base.
The victory was a gratifying one for the Chargers, who saw a 3-0 lead slip away against Maryville the night before. With another chance, the Chargers made sure to not make the same mistake twice, executing down the stretch to secure the win.
Passinault went 2 for 2 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the victory, as Hillsdale racked up eight hits on the day to earn the victory.
In the nightcap, the Chargers fell behind early, but hung around until an 11-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth inning allowed the Saints to pull away for an 18-4 victory to close out the series.
Hillsdale was down 6-0 in the top of the fifth when the Chargers scratched three runs across to get back in the game. A passed ball allowed Evan Fauquher to score from third base, and an error later in the inning by the Saints allowed both Danny Passinault and Cody Kanclerz to score as well.
That meant Hillsdale was trailing 7-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth before Maryville's 11-run explosion put the game out of reach. Tyler Harris drove in one more run for the Chargers on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth, but Hillsdale was too far down to attempt a rally.
Fauquher went 2 for 3 at the plate to lead the Chargers offensively, and Passinault chipped in a double.
Starter Paul Brophy took the loss for the Chargers, pitching two innings and striking out one batter. Nate Waligora, Devin Murray and Marc Bergeron all pitched in relief as well for Hillsdale.
Now 4-6 overall, the Chargers have one final non-conference series before the start of G-MAC play, traveling to Midwest Regional foe McKendree this weekend for a four game series starting on Saturday.
Photo by Summer Fields