The Hillsdale College baseball team got a great effort all around in the final game of a weekend series at Trevecca Nazarene on Thursday, snapping a nine-game losing streak and sending the Chargers back to Michigan on a positive note with a 10-1 victory.
The Chargers seized control of the second game with a five-run third inning that included solo home runs by Jaekob Sallee and Joe Hardenbergh, as well as a three-run shot by Jeff Landis, to take a lead the Chargers would never relinquish.
Hillsdale scored in each of the next three innings to press their advantage and build an insurmountable lead. After a leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth inning by Will Shannon, Aidan Brewer hit a RBI single to score Shannon and give the Chargers a six-run advantage. Trevecca got a run back in the top of the fifth on a solo home run, but the Chargers answered right back in the bottom of the inning with two runs, on an RBI double by Nick Stepke and a RBI single by Lewis Beals.
Landis added an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to complete a four RBI game for the Chargers, and Hardenbergh scored Danny Passinault on a sacrifice fly as well.
Hillsdale's top closer, Zane Barnhart, was dominant in his first career starth, striking out seven, walking three and giving up just one earned run in six innings to earn the victory. Dillon Manion struck out two in two innings of relief as well for the Chargers, and Devin Murray struck out one to finish the game in the top of the ninth.
The victory was a much-needed bounce back for Hillsdale after a tough 10-3 loss to the Trojans earlier in the afternoon. Despite a Joe Hardenbergh RBI single to score Aidan Brewer in the bottom of the first inning, Hillsdale fell behind early, trailing 4-1 after two innings. Landis closed the gap for the Chargers with a solo home run in the top of the third, but the Chargers were unable to get closer than 4-2 in the next two innings, and the dam broke in the top of the sixth inning, as Trevecca Nazarene plated six runs to pull away for the victory.
Danny Passinault drove in a run for Hillsdale to score Nick Stepke on a groundout to close the gap a little bit in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough to get back in the game.
Stepke added a double to Landis' solo home run to lead the Chargers at the plate in the defeat, while Paul Brophy took the loss, striking out one and walking one in five and two-thirds innings of work. Brandon Scott struck out two in an inning and a third of relief as well for Hillsdale.
With the split, Hillsdale is now 6-11 overall, 1-3 in G-MAC play. With its losing streak in the past thanks to the series-ending victory, the Chargers will look to carry that momentum forward into an important week, which includes Hillsdale's home debut on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. with a single contest against Grand Valley State. After the midweek non-conference contest, Hillsdale hits the road again to Kentucky Wesleyan for a four-game series beginning on Saturday, March 25.
Photo by Steve George