A spilt on Sunday with host Malone capped a solid weekend series for the Hillsdale College baseball team, who took the series 3-1 over the Pioneers and moved into fourth place in the overall G-MAC standings in the process.
After a flat offensive performance saw the Chargers fall 3-1 to Malone in the first game of the day, Hilsdale's bats came back with a vengeance in the nightcap, pounding out 11 runs on 14 hits to pull away early and claim the series in an 11-4 victory.
The Chargers never trailed in the second contest, taking a 1-0 lead on back-to-back doubles by Will Shannon and Joe Hardenbergh in the top of the first inning.
Hardenbergh added a second RBI double as part of a four-run inning in the top of the fourth that gave Hillsdale a 5-0 lead. Centerfielder Danny Passinault chipped in a RBI single and third baseman Cody Kanclerz added a RBI on a fielder's choice as well in the inning.
Kanclerz and designated hitter Jeff Landis each chipped in a RBI single in the top of the sixth inning for the Chargers, and shortstop Aidan Brewer added a two-run home run and Danny Passinault a RBI triple in the top of the seventh.
Landis finished the scoring in the top of the eighth with a solo home run to give the Chargers an 11-1 lead.
Drew Olssen got the win for the Chargers, going six innings with two strikeouts, one walk, and just four hits and one earned run conceded. Closer Zane Barnhart got his second save in as many days, pitching the final three innings, striking out two batters, and getting Hillsdale out of a dangerous inning in the bottom of the ninth after Malone had begun to rally.
Shannon went 3 for 5 to lead the Chargers at the plate and Jaekob Sallee chipped in a double as well for the Chargers offensively.
The second game was an important rebound effort for the Chargers after Hillsdale finished with just five hits and committed two costly errors in a 3-1 Game 1 defeat.
Starter Daly Skees was a hard-luck loser for the Chargers on the mound, pitching effectively for six innings for Hillsdale with three strikeouts, no walks and just two earned runs conceded.
But after giving up three runs in the first two innings to Malone, Hillsdale just couldn't string together hits to get back in the game. A Jeff Landis double after a walk by Joe Hardenbergh in the top of the fourth inning allowed Kanclerz to drive Hardenbergh home on a sacrifice fly for Hillsdale's lone run, but the Chargers got just one more runner in scoring position in the contest, and Hillsdale couldn't pay off Sean Nemetz's leadoff double in the top of the fifth inning.
While Hillsdale missed out on the sweep, it was still a productive weekend for the Chargers, who improved to 22-23 overall, 17-11 in G-MAC play, and, thanks to Northwood's Sunday sweep of Walsh, moved past the Cavaliers into third in the G-MAC North Division and fourth overall with one weekend series remaining.
That series will prove critical as Hillsdale could end up seeded anywhere from third to seventh in the upcoming G-MAC Tournament based on the results of next week's four-game tilt at Ashland, and other contests throughout the league. But the Chargers do control their own destiny -- a sweep of the Eagles would guarantee the Chargers the third seed in the tournament and a runner-up finish in the G-MAC North Division.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan