Schedule
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Wayne St. (0-0) | 1 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 16 | Ting Stadium – Holly Springs, NC
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Wayne St. (0-0) | 12 p.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 17 | Ting Stadium – Holly Springs, NC
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Wayne St. (0-0) | 3 p.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 17 | Ting Stadium – Holly Springs, NC
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Wayne St. (0-0) | 11 a.m. ET Sunday, Feb. 18 | Ting Stadium – Holly Springs, NC
Links
Hillsdale Roster | Wayne St. Roster | 2023 Hillsdale Stats | 2023 Wayne St. Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Preview
The Hillsdale College baseball team looks to build off one of its best seasons in program history last year with a strong 2024 campaign, and open the season with one of the biggest tests it'll face all year in a four-game neutral site series against Wayne State in North Carolina.
Entering the third year under head coach Tom Vessella, Hillsdale is coming off a season that saw them post the most conference wins in program history with 20, as well as a top four finish in the G-MAC regular season standings and a G-MAC Tournament appearance and victory.
The Warriors went 42-13 with a GLIAC title and an appearance in the NCAA Midwest Regional, and profile as one of the top teams in the Midwest again this season, ranked fourth in the Midwest in the preseason NCBWA poll.
Wayne State does have major holes to fill in the lineup, as all four of the Warriors' All-Region position players and six of their top eight hitters graduated. The Warriors still have some quality experienced bats in their lineup, including third baseman Tony Hatzgeorgiou and shortstop CJ Maury, both of whom hit over .300 with a combined 24 extra base hits as every-day players in 2024. Bennett Hitzelberger, Logan Van Sicklen and Mason McGuire also have experience and should play increased roles, while Oakland transfer Reagan Paulina and a large freshman class will get opportunities to make an impact as well.
The strength of the Warriors is on the mound, where 3 of 4 weekend starters and Wayne State's midweek starter all return for the 2024 season, led by consensus All-American Carter Fitzpatrick, who went 10-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 2023. Griffin Kilander posted an even better ERA of 2.44 and a 7-3 record as well, while Seth Marano and Kaden Stively both have significant experience as starters as well.
In the bullpen, the Warriors lose their top two relief pitchers from 2023 but bring back veteran arm David Thurman, as well as second-year players Cam Rosen and Ashton Potts. Wayne State added four new pitchers over the summer, including Central Michigan transfer Avery Mona, who could contribute.
The Chargers have significant holes to fill in the lineup as well, but return many of their best hitters from 2023, led by returning All-Region first baseman Will Shannon, who hit .388 with 15 doubles and 13 home runs last season. Hillsdale also returns two big-time home run hitters in seniors Jeff Landis and Joe Hardenbergh, as well as two additional rock-solid four-year starters in centerfielder Danny Passinault and catcher Jaekob Sallee.
Nate Waligora and Zak Kent also performed well in part-time roles in 2023 and should get more playing time this year, while a mix of returning players and a strong freshman class will compete for playing time.
On the mound, the Chargers must replace ace Will Gifford and top closer Zane Barnhart, a 2023 MLB Draft pick, but do have experienced returning starters to lean on in seniors Tommy MacLean and Daly Skees, both of whom were solid for Hillsdale in 2023, as well as two other players with starting experience in Paul Brophy and Drew Olssen.
In the bullpen, replacing Barnhart will be a huge challenge. Hillsdale does have veterans who will contend for bigger roles, including seniors Chad Stevens, Brendan Pochmara and Devin Murray, and junior Brandon Scott, among others.
An X-factor for the Chargers as they look to assemble the best pitching staff possible is a talented freshman class that includes six right-handed arms who will compete for playing time both in the starting rotation and out of the bullpen, and could play a large role in the season to come depending on development.
Wayne State is a common non-conference opponent for Hillsdale, as the two programs are just two hours apart and shared a conference in the GLIAC from 1975 to 2017. Last year, the Warriors won a four-game series with the Chargers 3-1, with Hillsdale earning an 11-0 win in the first game on Feb. 25 and then falling to Wayne State in two more games on Feb. 26 and in a hard-fought midweek contest on April 25.