Schedule
Hillsdale College (12-14, 7-5 G-MAC) at Northwood (20-8, 12-0 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Friday, April 7 | Gerace Stadium – Midland, MI
Hillsdale College (12-14, 7-5 G-MAC) at Northwood (20-8, 12-0 G-MAC) | 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, April 7 | Gerace Stadium – Midland, MI
Hillsdale College (12-14, 7-5 G-MAC) at Northwood (20-8, 12-0 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, April 8 | Gerace Stadium – Midland, MI
Hillsdale College (12-14, 7-5 G-MAC) at Northwood (20-8, 12-0 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, April 8 | Gerace Stadium – Midland, MI
Hillsdale College (12-14, 7-5 G-MAC) at Central Michigan (15-12, 5-4 MAC) | 3 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 11 | Theunissen Stadium – Mount Pleasant, MI
Links
Hillsdale Roster | Northwood Roster | CMU Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Northwood Stats | CMU Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Preview
A huge weekend sweep of Tiffin at home got the Hillsdale College baseball team right back into the thick of the G-MAC race heading into a series beginning Friday that represents both a huge challenge and a huge opportunity for the Chargers.
Hillsdale hits the road to play a Northwood team that's dominated its first three weekends of G-MAC competition, with a perfect 12-0 mark and a 20-8 overall record. Slowing down the G-MAC's hottest team on their home field will be a huge challenge, but the Chargers could also vault into the title conversation if it can find a way to take the series.
A newcomer to the G-MAC but a solid program for many years in the Midwest Region, Northwood's top asset is its pitching staff, one that's put up the best numbers by far currently in the G-MAC, with a combined 4.17 ERA. The Timberwolves boast not one but two ace candidates in returning All-Region pitchers Derek Clark, a junior with a 2.47 ERA and a 5-1 record, and sophomore Jayden Dentler, 6-0 with a 3.13 ERA. Third starter Kendall Anthes is also a high-quality pitcher, with a 3-1 record and a 4.38 ERA. Northwood also has a strong bullpen led by Jake Jekielek and Hunter McShane, neither of whom have given up an earned run in 13 combined appearances.
While Northwood's pitching staff leads the way, the Timberwolves also can hit, with the G-MAC's second-best batting average of .309 and six lineup regulars batting over .290. Senior Matt Magno is hitting .345 with 13 extra-base hits and a team-high 29 RBIs, while junior Blake Salamon is putting up big power numbers, hitting .311 with six doubles, 11 home runs and 27 RBIs. Jacob Rybicki, Rhett Evans, Myles Beale and David Jeffers are all key players at the plate as well.
Coming off of Easter Sunday, the Chargers also get a chance to step up and take on a Division I opponent, with a midweek contest against MAC power Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday, April 11.
The Chippewas are not only a NCAA Division I opponent but a powerful one, making the NCAA DI tournament in each of the last three full seasons. So far this season, CMU is 15-12, with a series win over Baylor and in-conference series victories over Ohio and Kent State.
CMU is rebuilding offensively after heavy graduation losses, but still has a potent lineup led by returning first-team All-MAC player Justin Simpson. So far, sophomore outfielder Robby Morgan IV has been the Chippewas' best hitter, leading the team in doubles (7), home runs (5) and RBIs (23), while junior Jacob Donahue has been the best at getting on base for CMU, hitting .316 with 15 RBIs and an OBP of .460. Senior Garett Navarra and junior Danny Wuestenfield have also been important hitters for CMU.
On the mound, Navarra, Keegan Batka and Adam Mrakitsch all have extremely similar numbers as CMU's top-line starters, though Hillsdale is unlikely to see any of the three in a midweek game. Ben Vitas is the Chippewas' fourth starter and could get the call for CMU on Tuesday, and Nate Ross and Evan Waters each have a start for CMU as well. Ross and Ryan Palmblad are CMU's top arms out of the bullpen, each with four saves apiece on the year.
Hillsdale showcased its offensive talent in the sweep of Tiffin, scoring double-digit runs in three of the four games, and are returning several decorated hitters who rank among the all-time greats statistically at Hillsdale. Returning all-Conference outfielder Lewis Beals leads the Chargers with a .350 batting average, 11 extra base hits and a team-high RBIs, while junior Jeff Landis brings power to Hillsdale's lineup, with four doubles, five home runs and 18 RBIs as well. Junior Joe Hardenbergh is red-hot entering this weekend, hitting .333 with a team-leading nine home runs as well for the Chargers, while sophomore Will Shannon has six home runs and is hitting .357.
That's not even mentioning Hillsdale's returning All-American shortstop, Aidan Brewer, who's starting to heat up with 14 RBIs and a team-high 12 stolen bases, or the reigning G-MAC North Division Player of the Week, outfielder Danny Passinault, who's hitting .325 and is tied for the team lead with eight doubles.
On the mound, ace Will Gifford returns for the Chargers after going 6-4 with a 4.24 ERA and an impressive 67 strikeouts last season. Gifford was named G-MAC North Division Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 27 for his play in the Wayne St. series. Sophomore Tommy MacLean is a consistent first day starter as well and is off to a solid start for Hillsdale, while junior Paul Brophy also has significant starting experience for the Chargers.
In the bullpen, Hillsdale has one of the G-MAC's top closers in Zane Barnhart, who recorded six saves and a team-leading 2.21 ERA while posting 14.16 strikeouts per nine innings, to head an experienced bullpen staff looking to make big improvements from 2022. Barnhart looks like one of the best relief pitchers in the G-MAC so far, earning three wins and three saves in nine appearances with a 1.90 ERA.
The Chargers are facing off against Northwood as conference foes for the first time since 2017, but they played a non-conference series last year, with the Timberwolves taking three of four from Hillsdale. CMU, meanwhile, is 44-19 all-time against Hillsdale in an all-time series that began in 1920.