The Hillsdale College baseball team jumped out to early leads in both games of a G-MAC-opening doubleheader against Findlay on Sunday, but couldn't hang on in either as the Oilers swept the Chargers by a narrow margin.
Sunday's contests were played at Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio due to field conditions in Findlay, and, at first, the Chargers looked at home at the neutral site, taking a 6-1 lead through four innings in the first game.
Sophomore second baseman Nick Stepke and junior third baseman Cody Kanclerz each hit a RBI single in the top of the second inning to get Hillsdale out in front, and the Chargers added to their lead with a big top of the fourth, as sophomore Nate Waligora hit a solo home run and Kanclerz added a two-run home run to give the Chargers a big advantage. Aidan Brewer added a RBI single as well for Hillsdale.
But a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth got Findlay back in the game, and the Oilers plated four runs in the sixth to pull ahead for good. Hillsdale outhit Findlay 12-7 in the loss but the Oilers took advantage of four Charger errors and 10 walks to generate offense without consistent production at the plate in the victory.
Brewer went 3 for 5 at the plate to lead the Chargers in Game 1, while Kanclerz finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs and the home run. Sophomore Jaekob Sallee went 2 for 3 as well, and Joe Hardenbergh chipped in a double for Hillsdale.
Tommy MacLean went five innings for the Chargers as the starter, striking out six, walking four and giving up three earned runs. Drew Erdei (0-1) took the loss in relief for Hillsdale, and Logan Simon and Dillon Manion also pitched in relief for the Chargers. Manion went two and a third innings with four strikeouts and two walks to give Hillsdale a chance at a comeback in the final innings.
Hillsdale also took a lead early in Game 2, as Jeff Landis drove in Kanclerz on a groundout in the top of the first to take a one-run edge.
But Findlay answered back in the bottom of the first to tie the game at one apiece, and Hillsdale couldn't overcome a big fourth inning for Findlay that included back-to-back home runs and put the Oilers up for good.
Landis hit a solo home run of his own in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 4-2, but that was as close as the Chargers would get. Hillsdale put two runners on in the sixth after Landis' home run, but a double play ended the threat and the Chargers' chances to tie or take the lead.
Along with Landis' solo shot, Lewis Beals went 2 for 3 at the plate as well for the Chargers, and Kanclerz and Brewer each chipped in a single.
Paul Brophy (0-4) took the loss for Hillsdale despite a solid start, pitching all six innings and striking out four with no walks and just five hits conceded. Ultimately, however, Brophy couldn't overcome the two solo home runs, and the Chargers didn't give him the run support he needed to rally in the contest.
Hillsdale falls to 6-10 overall and 0-2 in the G-MAC with the losses. The Chargers head to The Cube in Findlay on Monday looking to try and force a series split in a a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Findlay Athletics