The Hillsdale College baseball team is catching fire at the plate at exactly the right time as the G-MAC Tournament approaches.
The Chargers put on a hitting clinic in its regular season finale on Saturday to take two from Ashland and win the series 3-1 over the Eagles, locking up the fourth seed in the upcoming G-MAC Tourney and a date with fifth-seeded Findlay at Prasco Park this coming Wednesday.
Hillsdale pounded out 30 hits and 21 total runs to blow past one of the best pitching and defensive teams in the G-MAC, starting with a 13-3 win to open the day. The Chargers set the tone early, plating eight runs in the first two innings with a parade of hits that included a RBI single and a three-run home run by junior Jeff Landis and a RBI double by senior Nick Stepke.
Landis continued his hot day with a RBI single in the top of the fourth and a RBI double in the top of the sixth, coming just a triple short of hitting for the cycle in the seven inning contest. Stepke added another RBI single in the top of the sixth and Danny Passinault chipped in a RBI single as well.
With plenty of run support, Daly Skees cruised to his third victory of the season with a solid performance, striking out one and giving up four hits and two earned runs in five innings. Chad Stevens pitched a scoreless inning of relief and senior Caleb Biedenharn pitched the final inning, striking out two and giving up just one hit and one unearned run.
Along with Landis' 4 for 4 game, Aidan Brewer, Lewis Beals, Will Shannon and Nick Stepke each added two hits as well in the victory.
In the nightcap, Hillsdale followed a similar script to the first game, plating five runs in the top of the first inning to set the tone for an 8-5 victory. Landis hit his second three-run home run of the day, and Lewis Beals added a RBI double before chipping in a RBI single in the second inning as well to give Hillsdale a 6-1 lead.
After Ashland cut Hillsdale's lead to 6-4, the Chargers shut the door, with Sean Nemetz hitting a RBI triple in the top of the fifth to stretch Hillsdale's lead back to three, and Will Shannon hitting a solo home run in the top of the eighth as well for the Chargers.
Shannon went 4 for 5 with a double and a home run in the contest, Nemetz went 3 for 4 and Cody Kanclerz and Joe Hardenbergh each chipped in a double for Hillsdale.
Drew Olssen earned his fourth win of the season on the mound, pitching four innings with five strikeouts and three walks, while Dillon Manion pitched four and a third innings of relief, striking out five, walking none and giving up no runs. Closer Zane Barnhart finished the game, striking out one and giving up one earned run.
Hillsdale went back above .500 for the first time since March 4 with the win, finishing the regular season at 25-24 overall, and 20-12 in G-MAC play, setting a record for the most games above .500 in conference play in recorded program history. The Chargers now turn their focus to the G-MAC Tournament at Prasco Park on Wednesday, and gunning for the program's first G-MAC Tournament title since 2018.
Photo by Steve George