Schedule
Hillsdale College (9-13, 4-4 G-MAC) at Trevecca Nazarene (12-10, 5-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Friday, March 28 | Jackson Field – Nashville, TN
Hillsdale College (9-13, 4-4 G-MAC) at Trevecca Nazarene (12-10, 5-3 G-MAC) | 4 p.m. ET Friday, March 28 | Jackson Field – Nashville, TN
Hillsdale College (9-13, 4-4 G-MAC) at Trevecca Nazarene (12-10, 5-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, March 29 | Jackson Field – Nashville, TN
Hillsdale College (9-13, 4-4 G-MAC) at Trevecca Nazarene (12-10, 5-3 G-MAC) | 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, March 29 | Jackson Field – Nashville, TN
Links
Hillsdale Roster | Trevecca Roster | 2024 Hillsdale Stats | 2024 Trevecca Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
Preview
The Chargers reeled off three straight wins last Saturday and Sunday to take a home series with Tiffin, then got a midweek victory over Grand Valley State on Wednesday. After a difficult start to the 2024 season, those victories have Hillsdale pointing in the right direction and with a chance to make a run in conference play.
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 Chargers travel to Tennessee for their first road series in conference play, against the always-tough Trevecca Nazarene Trojans. The Trojans are currently 12-10 and 5-3 in conference play after splitting with Lake Erie and taking three of four from Malone the last two weekends. While in the last two years Trevecca hasn't reached the heights it commanded in a 2021 season that saw the Trojans advance to the DII College World Series, the Trojans have remained one of the top teams in the G-MAC and are always a threat to make a deep run in the postseason.
The Trojans have developed a reputation as a power-hitting squad over their time in the G-MAC, and the 2024 edition is no different, as Trevecca's 23 home runs are tied for second in the G-MAC so far this season. Returning second-team All-G-MAC second baseman Joey Parliament has four of those home runs and 17 RBIs, but the top hitter this season for Trevecca has been JuCo transfer Cole McCallum, who is hitting .349 with a team-leading nine doubles, six home runs and 29 RBIs. DI transfer Haven Mangrum has done well at the top of the lineup, hitting .360, while Josh Seiler, Roland Ryan and Josh Griffin are also off to solid starts.
On the mound, Trevecca is lead by junior Caleb Marks, an All-G-MAC pick a year ago who has an impressive 1.97 ERA and 40 strikeouts to eight walks in five starts. Fellow junior Jack Keele is also a returning All-G-MAC honoree and is 4-1 in six appearances, while solid rotation pieces Spencer Wilkins and Jonah Smithson round out Trevecca's regular starters. Out of the bullpen, Trent Merrill is the Trojans' most deployed reliever and leads Trevecca with two saves, while Preston Drebes, Matthew Hock, James Dickson and Logan Harrell are also frequently used relivers for the Trojans.
The Chargers enter 2024 with significant holes to fill in the lineup, 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 of the top three home run hitters in program history in seniors Jeff Landis and Joe Hardenbergh, both of whom are off to strong starts, as well as two additional rock-solid four-year starters in centerfielder Danny Passinault and catcher Jaekob Sallee. Sallee earned G-MAC Player of the Week for his performance in the Cal (PA) series earlier this season and has continued to hit with power so far.
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. Already, freshmen Tyler Turner, Rocco Tenuta, and Aaron Jasiak have become lineup regulars, while junior Kaden Nowak has also carved out a significant role in the infield.
On the mound, Hillsdale is looking for more consistency from a young group that showed promise early but has been up and down over the last month. The last four games have been encouraging for Hillsdale, as the Chargers held Tiffin and GVSU to 3.25 runs per game over that stretch. Returning starter Tommy MacLean and freshman Daniel Higdon have nailed down two starting spots, while veterans Drew Olssen and Paul Brophy had quality starts at Findlay last week, and Daly Skees and Luke Miller have also been in the mix for the Chargers. There's talent in this group but continued improvement will be necessary to get the Chargers to where they need to be.
In the bullpen, Hillsdale may have found a closer in junior Andrew George, who has two saves, and a win in six appearances this season. Brandon Scott, Chad Stevens and Devin Murray are also frequently deployed bullpen arms for the Chargers, while redshirt freshman Logan McLaughlin has impressed in three appearances and may be working his way into a larger role for Hillsdale moving forward.
Hillsdale is 9-12 since 2015 against Trevecca in what has been a competitive series between the two programs, though the Trojans took four of five against the Chargers last season, including a 3-0 win in the G-MAC Tourney last may that ended Hillsdale's season. The last time Hillsdale won a series against Trevecca was 019, when Hillsdale took three of four from Trevecca at home.