In the midst of a monster season that's easily his best with the Hillsdale baseball team, it was only a matter of time before Joe Hardenbergh got his first weekly G-MAC honor.
That time is now, as the conference office announced Hardenbergh as the G-MAC North Division Baseball Player of the Week on Monday. It's the second time in three weeks a Charger has won the weekly conference award, and the third time in the last five weeks as Hardenbergh joins Aidan Brewer and Danny Passinault in being recognized.
Hardenbergh ripped through opposing pitching staffs during a busy week for the Chargers, going 15 of 27 at the plate for a .556 batting average in seven games as the Chargers went 4-3, 4-2 in G-MAC play and moved into sole possession of fourth place in the G-MAC.
The junior not only hit for average but also power, notching five doubles and three home runs while finishing with six RBIs and six runs scored. He hit a home run in three consecutive contests, starting with his best performance of the week, going 5 for 5 at the plate in a narrow 11-10 loss to the seventh-ranked team in the country, Wayne State, in a midweek contest.
Hardenbergh has been a mainstay of Hillsdale's lineup for each of the past three seasons, but there's no denying he's been on a different level in 2023. The junior has career highs in hits (54), runs scored (38), doubles (12), home runs (14), RBIs (36), and stolen bases (4) in the exact same number of at bats as his 2022 season. Always a power hitter capable of putting balls over the fence, Hardenbergh has become more versatile in his third season as a starter, hitting for a higher average and on-base percentage while maintaining and even improving his power numbers at the plate.
In doing so, he's developing his case as one of the best power hitters in Hillsdale College history. His 33 home runs are tied for second all-time at Hillsdale with teammate Aidan Brewer and 80s legend Brian Buckley, and he's one of just five players in Chargers history to surpass 30 home runs for his career.
Hardenbergh will look to stay hot at the plate as Hillsdale closes out the regular season on the road against one of the top teams in the G-MAC, Ashland, for a four-game series that will determine the Chargers' seed in the upcoming G-MAC Tournament.
Photo by Steve George