The Hillsdale College baseball team had a phenomenal day at the plate against host Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday afternoon, but came up short in a high-scoring, 17-16 contest.
The Chargers scored 16 runs on 14 hits and had a 13-4 lead at one point in the contest, but UMSL rallied twice in the final three innings, taking the game on a walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Early on, it looked like Hillsdale would run away with the game. Senior Joe Hardenbergh and freshman Rocco Tenuta each hit a two-run home run in the first two innings, and Jeff Landis added a RBI double as Hillsdale jumped out to a 7-0 lead through the top of the third.
While UMSL plated four runs in the third and fourth innings, Hillsdale didn't stop scoring. Tyler Turner hit a RBI single in the fourth for the Chargers and Will Shannon added a RBI double and Danny Passinault a two-run single in the fifth. Hillsdale plated two more runs in the top of the sixth and looked to have the game in hand.
The Tritons, however, had other ideas, staging a wild comeback with 10 runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 14-13 lead. Now trailing, the Chargers showed great reslience in the top of the eighth inning, as freshman Will Millard hit a home run down the left field line to tie the game at 14, and Hardenbergh put the Chargers back out in front with his second home run of the game, a two-run shot.
Now leading 16-14, Hillsdale had a chance to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth, and while the Chargers gave up a run and UMSL loaded the bases, Hillsdale recorded two outs and was one strike away from victory when the Tritons hit a double that scored two runs to walk off.
A silver lining for the Chargers was the team's offensive performance, as Hillsdale scored 16 runs on 14 hits a day after scoring no runs and finishing with just six total hits in two losses. Millard went 3 for 3 with a double and a home run, Jeff Landis was 3 for 5 with a double and Joe Hardenbergh was 2 for 4 with two home runs. Shannon finished 2 for 5 with a double as well.
Andrew George took the loss in relief for Hillsdale, striking out five and walking two in two and a third innings of work. None of the five runs George gave up were earned. Starter Daniel Higdon went four innings with two strikeouts and two walks, leaving the game with the Chargers in front 8-4, and Hayden Hoffpauir, Jacob Pallo and Brandon Scott all pitched as well for Hillsdale.
The Chargers are now 3-7 overall and face Maryville on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT looking to bounce back and snap a four game losing streak.
Photo by Steve George