A stirring comeback in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday against Malone helped the Hillsdale College baseball team get a 12-8 victory, but another big rally in the nightcap fell just short in a 5-4 loss to the Pioneers as the Chargers settled for a series split.
In the first contest, Hillsdale fell behind 5-0 through two and a half innings but responded with 12 straight runs to not only come back but also to pull away to victory. The Chargers erased the entire early deficit in the bottom of the third inning on five straight extra base hits, starting with a leadoff triple by Jaekob Sallee. Next up, freshman Rocco Tenuta doubled to drive Sallee in, and freshman Will Millard also hit a double to get two on the bases for junior Will Shannon, who smashed a three-run home run to left center to cut Malone's lead to 5-4.
On the very next at bat, senior Jeff Landis hit a solo shot the opposite way to tie the game. Hillsdale wasn't done, plating three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, including a two-run single by Joe Hardenbergh, to pull ahead for good, and adding four more insurance runs on a three-run double by Shannon and a RBI single by Landis in the bottom of the fifth. Malone made a late attempt to rally with their final three outs in the bottom of the seventh, plating three runs, but a nifty bit of fielding by relief pitcher Kolin Endres helped turn a double play with the bases loaded, and Endres struck out the next batter to seal the victory.
Shannon had a monster contest at the plate to lead Hillsdale, going 3 for 3 with seven RBIs, while Tenuta and Landis each added three hits as well. Hardenbergh added a single and a double in addition for the Chargers.
Paul Brophy got the win on the mound for the Chargers, overcoming a rocky start to go six innings and deliver the ball to Endres with enough of a lead to hold on. Endres pitched the final inning.
Landis gave the Chargers an early lead in the nightcap with a RBI single in the bottom of the first, but Malone scored four runs in the second and third innings to pull ahead. The Chargers continued to battle and had chances to take the game late, but couldn't get the walk-off runs across in the ninth in a 5-4 defeat to the Pioneers.
Shannon hit a second home run, this one a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and Hillsdale closed to 5-3 in the seventh on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Turner to score Sallee. Hillsdale had a runner in scoring position in the eighth, but couldn't get him across, and although Sallee hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to cut the deficit to 5-4, and Hillsdale was able to load the bases with two outs, the Chargers couldn't push the tying and winning runs across in the final at bat.
Sallee was 2 for 4 with a double and a home run to lead the Chargers at the plate, as Hillsdale scored four runs on seven hits. Brandon Scott took the loss for Hillsdale despite a solid outing, pitching five and a third innings in his longest career appearance and striking out six batters while walking one. Logan McLaughlin also pitched three and two-thirds innings of strong relief for the Chargers, striking out three and walking none while giving up just one earned run.
Hillsdale is now 14-21 overall, and 9-11 in G-MAC play. The Chargers trail Ohio Dominican (8-8 G-MAC) for the final spot in the G-MAC Tournament, and will need strong performances in the final three conference series to close the gap and make it to Prasco Park. Next up for the Hillsdale are a pair of midweek contests leading into the weekend, starting with a Tuesday night game at home against Davenport beginning at 6 p.m.
Photo by Steve George