The Hillsdale College baseball team got its weekend series against Lake Erie off to a hot start with two wins on Saturday, and didn't cool off any despite a three day layoff to the final doubleheader against the Storm on Tuesday.
Taking control of both contests early, Hillsdale hit seven home runs on the day and scored 39 total runs on 28 hits in 19-3 and 20-3 victories over the visiting Storm to complete the series sweep.
In the first contest of the day, Hillsdale trailed 1-0 early after a throwing error on a stolen base attempt allowed a Lake Erie runner to score, but the Chargers scored the next 19 runs of the game to run away with the victory.
Reigning G-MAC North Division Player of the Week Aidan Brewer led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to tie the game, and the Chargers took a 6-1 lead by the fourth inning on a RBI doubles from Nick Stepke and Jaekob Sallee, a RBI single by Danny Passinault and a two-run home run by Lewis Beals.
In the bottom of the fourth, Lake Erie got Hillsdale's first two batters out and looked in good position to get out of the inning without letting the Chargers extend their lead. Things quickly unraveled fro the Storm, however, as Hillsdale plated 13 runs and chased three Lake Erie pitchers before the Storm were able to finally record the final out.
Nate Waligora had the critical hit in the inning, a grand slam that put the Chargers up 11-1, while Salleee chipped in a two-run double, Cody Kanclerz added a two-run single, and Brewer and Beals each chipped in a RBI single as well. The Chargers also drew a bases-loaded walk and scored another run on a wild pitch in one of the highest-scoring innings for the Hillsdale baseball team in recent memory.
Starter Paul Brophy picked up his third win of the season on the mound for the Chargers, going five solid innings with seven strikeouts and conceding only one walk, three hits and one unearned run. Patrick MacLean made his Simpson Field debut in relief for the Chargers, ptiching two innings and striking out two.
In the nightcap, Hillsdale jumped on Lake Erie early, taking a 6-0 lead three innings in on a pair of three-run home runs, by Will Shannon in the bottom of the first and by Passinault in the bottom of the third.
The Chargers put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth, as Brewer followed up a RBI single by Jeff Landis with a grand slam to give Hillsdale an 11-0 advantage. With an opportunity to run-rule the Storm in play and end the game early, the Chargers pounced on the chance, scoring nine runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Will Shannon led off the inning with a solo home run, Landis, making his return after missing several weeks with an injury, chipped in another RBI single, and Beals added a two run single as well as Hillsdale also drew three bases-loaded hit by pitches and a bases-loaded walk as well.
Kanclerz went 3 for 4 with a double and a triple to lead Hillsdale at the plate, and Shannon went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four total RBIs in the contest as well.
Daly Skees picked up his second win of the season in an impressive start on the mound for the Chargers, striking out eight, walking three, scattering five hits and giving up just three earned runs in six innings of work, while Drew Olssen finished off the game in relief by pitching a scoreless top of the seventh inning and striking out three of the four batters he faced.
With the sweep of the Storm, Hillsdale improves to 17-18 overall and 12-8 in G-MAC play. The Chargers travel to Grand Valley State tomorrow at 3 PM for a single nine-inning contest that completes a home-and-home series with the Lakers. Then, Hillsdale returns home for its final weekend home series of the season and a crucial set of games against G-MAC North Division title contender Walsh, starting Saturday at 1 p.m.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan